mutante tempus
by bitofanerd
Summary: Voldemort won in 1998, Harry died and now after nearly a hundred years the wizarding world is in tatters. Gwen Fray has had it harder than most, along with her friends they sneak into Hogwarts and accidentally get sent back to 1975 with nothing bar an old diary of Hermione Granger. Can Gwen change things for the better or will she just make things worse? REMUSxOC
1. past, present what future?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or anything affiliated. I only own Gwen, really.

**mutante tempus: past, present…what future?**

Gwen stood in the dark a little away from her six friends, back pushed against a large tree, gazing at the castle in front of her. She was in absolute awe of it. It was exactly as she'd imagined it would be, from the stories she'd heard as she grew up. From the many pictures she'd seen.

Its black silhouette against the stars made it look truly epic. She'd never believed all the stories as a child, but while standing in the shadow of Hogwarts, she no longer doubted the credibility of them. She remembered one, she'd been told by an old friend on a rainy day. It had been about Hogwarts. Gwen had been told, many believe Hogwarts was something like a sentient, with a conscious that could feel. That it had magic running through its very stone, keeping it together. That's what made it so wonderful.

Gwen hadn't been able to believe them stories when she was younger, her friends had told her they were nonsense. Hogwarts was magical, because of spells and enchantments _made _it magical. She smiled at those foolish dismissals. Now Gwen was here and she could experience it for herself, she knew. She could _feel_ it seeping out of the air around her, pulsing with excitement at their presence. Perhaps Hogwarts knew what they were going to do.

The castle had seen so much history after all. So much love, joy and laughter, so much sadness and heartache. So much magic.

So much _death._

How could such a beautiful, magical place house such evil? How could it be _so_ dangerous? Gwen would bet her very life there were more than a dozen people in that castle that would kill her without a second thought. That would _enjoy_ killing her, as they had done countless times before.

_It's the age we live in_ she thought sadly to herself.

It had been more than ninety years since the massacre at Hogwarts, but people still spoke of it with great sorrow. Every good witch and wizard had lost something that day. Whether it was friends, family, freedom….hope.

Gwen pulled herself out of her dazed thoughts, wondering idly if the castle still remembered that night. So many bad things had happened that night and since. She thought of how differently her life might be if the dark lord had not won that war, all those years ago. She might be safe. She might be happy.

The dark lord had been in control ever since that night. It had been ninety years under his _cruel dictatorship._ Many people thought that he'd never die, that he would rule the wizarding world until the end of time. Amongst the stories and overheard conversations, Gwen had learnt why everyone was so sure that the dark lord would live forever. Because he had stretched his soul to the limit, by creating many _Horcrux_. By splitting his soul, to survive.

Despite the majority of the wizarding world believing their struggling against the dark lord's power was hopeless, people still tried. There was always some sort of resistance against him.

A few years ago there had been a particularly large underground resistance forming again. With more supporters than there had been in decades. Not since before the massacre at Hogwarts.

They _were_ going to find a way to stop him. They _were_ going to end his reign of terror. They _were_ going to create a brighter future for their children. They _were_…

But everything that they _were_ going to accomplish had been lost. Because they _were_ gone now and all that was left was their clueless children, stumbling from day to day to survive.

Stumbling being an ideal word. The seven children, now clustered around the outskirts of the forbidden forest, were lucky to be alive. Most had long given up any thoughts of having great destinies to fulfil or being watched over by their loving parents. Luck was what kept them going.

_Luck…and Daniel_, Gwen thought glancing at the oldest boy. He was clearly very frustrated at the situation still. Gwen was too. It had been an unfortunate turn of events but, no one was to blame. Not really. If she had learnt one thing, it was how important loyalty was.

They knew a mistake had been made, but now they were going to fix it. Or die trying.

Gwen was happy enough to stand watching the castle, only half listening to the others bickering. Hushing them, if ever they made too much noise. They'd all seen the castle themselves before, Cora and Conor still attended Hogwarts through the term and they'd just finished their fifth year. Gwen would have sat her OWLs with them, if she'd ever had a chance of going.

But that was wishful thinking. Mudbloods don't get into Hogwarts. Mudbloods get sent to the district if they're not lucky enough to be ignored.

A shudder ran through Gwen at the thought of the district. If the others noticed, they'd probably assume it was the cold wind. There was no use dwelling on the district. It was an awful fate that befell people, but it couldn't be stopped. The others never needed to worry about that place. It was just Gwen that was at risk of being sent there. The others had enough magical heritage to keep them safe. They might end up in Azkaban for a few years, but at least they'd never experience the district like to many muggleborn wizards.

But that hadn't happened to her. She'd been saved. Saved by the Dara family.

Mr Dara had been on friendly terms with Gwen's mother since they were children. Since before he'd married Mrs Dara and long before they'd had Matt. Mr Dara had never told Gwen's parents about magic though. There wasn't any need.

Matt and Gwen become friends and grown up closely. Mr and Mrs Dara had spent more time in the company of muggle's than witches and wizards, as to not draw attention to Mrs Dara's muggle heritage. They blended in very well and no one suspected anything strange about them at all.

It wasn't until Gwen was seven that Mr and Mrs Dara been forced to confess the truth to Gwen and her parents. The _whole_ truth. That witches and wizards were real and living amongst non-magical people or muggle's. That there was a strange and dangerous world hidden from them, being ruled by the darkest wizard to live, _He Who Must Not Be Named_.

Mrs Dara had aptly used Hitler as a muggle comparison to the sort of things that the dark lord encouraged. The districts, were so worse than concentration camps. They Dara's had even explained the lasting war and resistance they partook in, to overthrow the dark lord from power and restore world to the peace it had known before he had risen to power. And that Gwen was a witch and part of the secret world that they belonged to.

Mr Dara had known about Gwen's magic for years. He'd shrugged it off, when she and Matt had been very young – he told himself it was all Matt. That Matt must have been _very_ magical. He tried to convince himself out of fear for his friends, out of fear for the little girl, always bouncing around his garden, tangling her brown ringlets in their thorn bush.

Gwen's parents didn't believe them at first of course, they'd thought it had been a joke in very poor taste. It hadn't taken them many days to concede. Mr Dara hadn't been the only one to notice the strange happenings Gwen was involved in as a child –the dancing toys, her room changing colour, the speed at which her hair grew back after every brutal trimming she received.

Gwen's parents had no choice, but to ask for help from the Dara family. They wanted their daughter to be safe and happy. They all but begged them to do _anything_ to ensure she was. Mr Dara obliged, unwillingly.

The next day Gwen's parents had packed their stuff up and left the country with no memory of the Dara's or their seven year old daughter. All they had was an unquenchable desire to move to Russia and start a family of their own at last.

It had hurt everyone, Gwen especially hadn't understood or accepted the injustice of it all. Why had Matt been allowed to keep _his_ parents when she wasn't allowed to keep _hers?_ It was something that had greatly affected her and likely always would, but she had been loved deeply by the Dara family. She'd always remember the happiness of her childhood with Matt and his mother and father. _Her pretend family_.

She'd had little else to remember fondly after the day that Matt left for Hogwarts.

Because on the first of September, weeks after Gwen's eleventh birthday _they_ had come for her. Servants of the dark lord, wizards and dementors. Mr Dara thought they'd gotten off lightly considering how badly the situation might have turned. But Mr Dara always did try to look on the bright side.

Every year, since the dark lord had risen to power on the first of September pure-bloods and half-bloods were sent off to Hogwarts by their loving parents. Some released their children willingly, some begrudgingly, some by force. Hogwarts was compulsory to all children, born into magical families.

The same day, as hundreds of excited or nervous children left for Hogwarts another ritual commenced. _The annual purge._

The Ministry, had become almost unrecognisable over the last few decades. Laws had been changed, procedures and spell restrictions modified, but the Ministry was still able to keep a record of every person, whom had ever shown magical potential. Muggle born and wizard born alike.

Every year as every magical child, with magical potential was carted off to Hogwarts, every muggle born was located and taken as well. Mostly people called it the purge, though some pure-bloods, still called it the cleansing. The children were taken from their parents unknowingly or by force to the district. Few bar actual death eaters, the dark lords most loyal supporters knew exactly what occurred in the district. There were rumours about experimentation with spells and various magical objects and beings. There were rumours about labouring or simply being held in captivity. There were lots of rumours about the district, maybe all of them had truth in them but there was one thing that the wizarding world was certain of, once a child went into the district, they didn't come out.

The dark lord had numerous followers and species to do his bidding. His death eaters were usually used, only to do his most important tasks. He had enough loyal supporters to complete his annual purge without assistance. Mr Dara had been right to think Gwen had been lucky that day. What if there had been giants, inferius or dementors? What if there had been werewolves?

They'd waited and watched as Gwen's long abandoned house was wracked and burnt to the ground upon finding it empty. Gwen later found out from a friend of Mr Dara's, who worked at the ministry that her case had been suspended. The authorities had spent a few weeks searching, but had eventually padded her name onto a wanted list and moved on to their next case.

And so Gwen had lived in secret amongst wizards. She'd learnt magic from Mr and Mrs Dara, thanks to the abolishment of the restriction of underage wizardry in 2050 (to ensure that pure bloods could practice magic on muggle's during the summer, depending on the family's discretion). It had meant more muggleborn were able to evade capture and imprisonment in the district but it had also meant that soldiers of the dark lord could be recruited at a much younger age.

Gwen was fascinated by magic- she enjoyed watching it almost as much as the rush she felt performing her first spell. The day she'd received her wand was a memory that had her heart convulsing. It had sent such a warmth into her heart that she doubted anything could ever compare. Gwen had also been shocked to discover, she was rather good at magic, theoretically and practically- even better than Matt, despite being muggle born.

It hadn't just been the Dara's that had taught Gwen magic over the years – it had been many members of the Order of the Phoenix that had helped Gwen. The Order of the Phoenix was a secret organisation opposing the dark lord, it had been established over a hundred years previously by the greatest wizard to ever live: Albus Dumbledore.

Gwen had grown up very differently to Matt Dara. While at Hogwarts, Matt had been taught amongst other half-bloods, segregated from the pure-blooded students. Pure-bloods which were grouped into a house called Slytherin, were preferred significantly. Half-bloods and pure-bloods both learnt all the necessary magic needed to find a job and manage day to day life, but pure-bloods were particularly well taught in the dark arts, which were encouraged and compulsory.

Hogwarts taught, that muggle's were filthy animals that needed to be kept in their place. Hogwarts also taught that muggle-born witches and wizards were far worse than muggle's, for _stealing_ magic from wizards. Any student, who chose to question their professors were punished severely. Matt found out quite how severely during his third year.

Gwen was almost glad that she hadn't been able to attend Hogwarts the year that Matt went. She imagined evil dungeons with chains and masked professors torturing students who didn't do their work correctly. She worried for Matt nearly every day that he was gone, writing to him often through his parents. It was only, the summer after Matt's first year that Gwen felt her first pang of jealousy.

It had been the summer that Mr and Mrs Dara had joined the Order of the Phoenix. Gwen, for the first time in her life was fully integrated with witches and wizards who treated her kindly and without the loathing or hatred she had expected. She met so many people and learnt so many things amongst the Order.

Though Gwen was fond of all the adults and revelled in the attention and lessons she received, the highlight of the summer had to be meeting the Abbot and Colt children. Gwen was twelve years old, by the summer of 2084 when Matt and she first met the Order and had scarcely been introduced to any wizards, let alone children her own age.

But Matt had bounded forwards greeting Daniel Abbot like he had her, in a brotherly fashion. She worried he wouldn't want to speak to her in front of them, she was a _muggle born_ after all. But her worries had been in vain and instead of shunning her, he'd dragged her into their games.

Gwen had never felt quite so happy and accepted during the summer months than in all her life. Over the summer, Gwen made five new friends. The Abbot family were half-bloods and learnt and dormed with Matt, Daniel was a year older than she and Matt, his brother Todd was younger than Gwen by a year and their sister Minnie, by two. The Abbot family were all easy to identify, apparently with their bright yellow hair and round faces. They were well known as 'blood-traitors' by the dark lord and his followers, but despite the danger refused to join them.

She'd also been introduced to Conor and Cora Colt that summer, much to Matt and Daniels dismay. The Colts were pure-blood twins, they had black hair like Matt, but were quite scrawny and flinched at sudden noises.

Pure-bloods and muggle-born children, could _not_ be friends. Hogwarts had taught them that if nothing else.

Matt and Daniel had insisted Gwen, Todd and Minnie avoid them for the first few days, but it hadn't lasted. The Colts, were not quite like other pure-blood families, the children soon realised and supported the Order more fiercely even than the half-blood families. Within a week of meeting, the seven children were inventing games and playing, exactly like children should. Unaware of the dangerous discussions being held by the Order in the basement beneath them.

Gwen heard stories about the vile teachers, the castle, the grounds and the mysterious rooms dotted around the castle. She was amazed at how they told their stories, despite the danger they encountered at Hogwarts every day by their sadistic professors, they clearly wouldn't miss it for the world. She loved the stories about the castle most of all, she wished to see it for herself. In more than just the pictures shown to her by the order. She wanted to stumble across hidden rooms and converse with the talking, walking portraits – she wanted to feel the stone beneath her feet.

The sudden joy that the summer provided, made it the best of Gwen's life. After it had gone, taking Matt, Daniel, Todd, Conor and Cora with it, Gwen felt almost bereaved the week they'd left. She wished _she'd_ been allowed to go with them. _To Hogwarts_.

But she couldn't. She'd stayed behind with a bleary eyed Minnie Abbot, who wouldn't be attending till next year and learnt more magic amongst the Order of the Phoenix. It wasn't so bad, every year got easier. She never knew she'd learn far more than her six friends at Hogwarts. She was being taught things that could impact the world so fiercely, that the dark lord himself would shudder.

The year that Minnie left for Hogwarts along with the others, Gwen met Harry for the first time. Mr Dara had told Gwen stories about Harry of course- he was such a vital part of the past and future of the order, but he was different than she thought he'd be. He had wild eyes and an angry scowl, which intimidated her effortlessly.

He wasn't as old as some members of the order, but he looked far sadder and more tired than any of the others. The things he knew, the things he'd seen also made him far kinder and more determined than the rest, because Harry was very special. He was one of the most special people alive in the fight against evil.

He was the son of Hermione Granger, _the Hermione Granger_, from the golden trio.

The golden trio were more famous even than Albus Dumbledore. They'd risked everything to defeat the dark lord, back in 1998. But everything wasn't enough. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley had spent a year hunting horcruxes of the dark lord before they confronted him in the massacre of Hogwarts. They'd broken into the Ministry, Gringotts and Hogwarts itself, before two thirds of them had been killed.

The story was well known to the entire order, through memoirs left behind by Hermione Granger in ancient runes in the hopes that one day, someone would be able to kill the dark lord. She'd left details of every place, every person, and every horcrux they'd destroyed. Every single blow they'd been dealt during the war had been recorded. She'd poured everything into her diary, which Harry refused to share directly with anyone, keeping it close at all times.

Gwen couldn't help but be fascinated by Harry. His mother had been killed before he could walk and talk but he continued to fight for what she'd believed in. She'd never imagined anyone could be so brave.

It had taken her many weeks to build up the courage to speak to him directly, but once she had, she never regretted it.

Harry had taught Gwen so much about life. About spells and history, about right and wrong. He'd told her about Hogwarts as his mother had known it, about her friends Harry and Ron. Hagrid, McGonagall, Dumbledore…Voldemort. That was what Hermione Granger had called the dark lord; Voldemort.

Hermione Granger had become somewhat of an obsession to Gwen during her early teenage years. Harry, Hermione and Ron had had such a hard life. Hermione had gone through so much loss and heartache. She thought of both their parents being torn from their lives, Gwen felt a sort of kinship with Harry's deceased mother.

Gwen had hardly known a normal life growing up. She could never wish for anything different. If she'd never been born with magic, she'd no doubt still be with her parents, perhaps she'd have siblings by now. She'd have normal friends and go to a normal school, but life hadn't dealt her that hand.

Life had dealt her magic.

It was the summer last year that her life had changed for the worse. She'd been barely fifteen when the death eaters had arrived. She'd been in the kitchen with Mr Dara, they'd both been laughing as Matt's singing reached them through the open window from upstairs. He'd been howling something about a girl who turned into a hag at night so passionately it had Gwen snorting out loud, mouth full of food and all.

Everyone had been in good spirits, Gwen especially. Matt was back! Everything was right with the world, the next day she'd be seeing all her favourite people in the world at an order meeting.

She had so much news to tell them, something big was going to happen soon- she could tell! The tension in the meetings had been building for all the moths Matt, Daniel and the others had been away. She knew they'd want to know. She knew they'd want to fight.

But the order meeting never came. Matt's singing was cut off suddenly, with some loud bangs, scuttling and a pop that had Mr Dara racing up the stairs with a glance of pure terror at Gwen.

He'd whispered the word _run_ at her before he'd climbed the stairs.

Sometimes she wish she had run that day, but if she'd been given the chance again, Gwen would have done exactly the same thing. She would have followed Mr Dara into that room, she still would have leaped at the masked intruders, standing over Matt's unmoving body…she wouldn't have changed a thing. Because Gwen loved them more than enough to die a hundred times over.

She thought she was selfish enough to have herself die before Matt or Mr and Mrs Dara, because quite frankly, she couldn't bear to live in a world where she was on her own.

The death eaters had hurt her and they hadn't been gentle either. Gwen didn't know _why_ they'd come. Had it been for her? Because of the order? Because of the Dara's? After a while she found it didn't really matter. Nothing mattered. Not living, or dying- all she could think about was the fire that boiled her blood and seared through her veins. She didn't know what it was, she didn't know anything, not even her own name…all she remembered was pain.

She had nightmares about those hours, minutes…whatever they'd been. The memories would never really leave her. They couldn't.

She'd had a taste of what life in the district might be like. Even after a year she still had the scar, '_mudblood'_ burned into her arm as freshly as ever. Like a dog gets a tagging chip. Because that's all she'd ever be now, a mudblood. She'd always remember that horrible day- the day she'd been broken. She thought it would never end.

The word crucio, echoing around the room, amongst the screams of people she loved. Her Matt. The burning had touched inside her skin and bone and everywhere in between. Gwen hadn't wanted to live very long at all. The memory of the pain, left her in breathless hysterics even after a year.

She'd been mid whimpering scream when Harry had appeared from nowhere.

Apparating her far away, to Matt, Daniel, Todd and Minnie. To somewhere with trees and grass. It had taken her much too long to speak, to stop crying, or screaming. She couldn't hold them in. Her friends didn't expect her to. The last thing she remembered before being cradled in a pair of arms was Harry's eyes meeting hers. He'd said something, but she couldn't hear. She didn't want to hear. She wanted everything to end, even then.

A few days later after the hours of reliving that day, asleep and awake, she'd been forced into eating something, into speaking, into recovering.

Daniel had been worried Gwen had lost her mind. He'd been relieved and moderately surprised when she'd responded to his questionings. The cruciatus curse had broken stronger witches than their Gwen. He'd wrapped her arm up tightly, trying his best not to look at it. He'd been less gentle than he'd meant, through his anger at what was done to her and to Matt.

Daniel tried hard to care for his friends, but he found it difficult. It wasn't just Gwen and Matt that had suffered that day. So many members of the order had been killed. His parents were gone. They were all alone in the wild and Harry had never come back for them after leaving Gwen.

He'd given Gwen his mother's diary to look after, though she barely registered it, then disapparated back to the Dara's house. They waited in the forest for days, but no one ever came for them.

"Dead." Gwen mumbled tonelessly, staring off into space. She'd spent the majority of the time so far doing this. It hurt Daniel to think about how badly they'd broken their tiny, little Gwen. It hurt all of them. She looked so fragile, like she might break if they touched her.

Gwen knew they were worried about her, it was the only thing that kept herself from falling apart. From letting the numbing madness take her, just to be free of the pain. She had to fight it for them.

She thought of Harry's wide green eyes sometimes. He'd been scared, for her, for his friends, for himself or for the future they'd never know.

Harry, _the single most important_ _person_ in the order had died to save her.

In the resulting days, the remaining members of the order had scattered. There'd literally been nobody to turn to for help, because they were all gone.

There'd been few, like the Colts that had denied all knowledge to keep their children alive, who's lived continued seemingly unaffected. They'd been pure-bloods who had been pardoned, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Cora and Conor continued attending Hogwarts, while their parents worked and helped other members of the order wherever possible without being detected.

There were others like the Abbots and the Dara family that had been killed during a skirmish, leaving their children with relatives or to go on the run- like Daniel, Todd, Minnie, Matt and Gwen had. Living like wild things to evade capture, not being able to fight really. Not knowing how.

Gwen knew of none that had escaped and were still fighting.

But none of them forgot. Every day they thought of what they were fighting for. They remembered what they'd lost and why. They loathed the people who had taken it from them.

Gwen glanced at her friends, _her family_. They'd all had such hard lives. They'd all lost loved ones, grown up encased in secrets and lies, always fearing for themselves and their families. But it was too much to hope that it would ever end.

**A/N**

**Hello there, firstly thanks for stopping by and giving the story a chance- everything with Remus Lupin love should be given a chance! **

**I've never really written a Harry Potter fanfiction before, but I'd had this on word for a long time and it was just sat there being sad because I'd ignored it. Then I got really into it all again after pottermore/reading the books/'harry potter season' on the television!/amazingly written fanfictions, so here it is! It will be a Marauders Era and I would break my laptop before I changed the Lily/James pairing!**

**This story will likely encounter lemons, but I'll make sure I make it obvious before I post it. It'll start in the Marauders _fifth_ year, so it could be a pretty bulky story if everything goes to plan- also I'm a chaotic writer, so I could post a chapter a month or three in a week, but the kindest reviews make me feel obligated to type_ fasterrr. _But I won't be a nag about it, I'd rather have a few follows and favourites. But ideas are very welcome and always appreciated :-)**

**So yes, let me know what you think!**


	2. two-thousand-and-eighty-seven

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or anything affiliated. I only own Gwen, really.

**mutante tempus: two-thousand-and-eighty-seven**

Gwen stared up at the castle for a long while, so engrossed she hadn't noticed the others calling her. It wasn't until Matt gently shook her shoulder that she returned to the present. No one was particularly surprised at Gwen's lack of response, she'd found it far more difficult to concentrate since they'd been on the run.

Sometimes, Daniel thought her eyes were different when she drifted off. Sort of glazed and distant, but he never mentioned it, Gwen had been through enough.

She hadn't been paying attention particularly hard anyway. She'd known as soon as they'd arrived what they'd have to do. She knew that all of them would end up going, because no one could bear to be left behind- even little Minnie. It was safest to stay together.

"Gwen, we're all going to go." Daniel scowled into the darkness towards the others clearly not happy with the situation.

"I did tell you, Daniel." She started.

"Aye, alright. There's no need for I told you so. Let's just get this over with and get the hell out of here. I hate it." He finished lamely glancing up at the castle. "Everyone ready?"

All he got was muffled grunts in response.

It was going to be one of those nights, Gwen thought.

Daniel, Matt, Gwen, Todd and Minnie were very used to the bickering and sulking that went on when one or more of them couldn't get their own way. They'd been together constantly for the last year, since the order had dispersed. They'd been forced to run together, starting with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the diary of Hermione Granger, which unfortunately had been useless since none of the seven could read runes.

Gwen had made a small start on the beginnings of the thick, worn book after Cora had managed to send her a sort of ancient runes dictionary from Hogwarts. Whenever the others started arguing, or when a painful memory threatened to resurface Gwen threw herself into translating. Unfortunately she'd only gotten about halfway though, to where Hermione had first discovered that horcruxes existed.

It had been a tough year. They'd all been forced to do things they weren't proud of. Sleeping rough for a few weeks until Daniel could get them a magical, but still rather cramped tent. They had nothing else to do, nowhere else to go. All their families had been torn from their lives – it wasn't safe to involve any other families that had escaped the death eaters like the Colts. They were only still in touch with Conor and Cora because they couldn't bear not to be. They needed help wherever they could get it.

They'd muddled along the last year pretty well or so Gwen thought. They were teenagers. Of course they'd fight and make up and sulk and throw tantrums. They weren't used to living like it. Daniel had taken charge and mostly everyone would agree, until Matt got frustrated and tried to argue about what was the best thing to do next. Gwen was always the one torn in the middle of their spats, trying to side with neither- but always having to defend Matt, even I he was in the wrong…which he mostly was.

After the initial trauma of what had happened to them all, Gwen settled in best. She'd never have wished for anything that had happened, but she took comfort from being with her best friends. The longest they'd stayed in one place has been for two weeks over Christmas, before moving along somewhere else. The others, were used to the hot meals, baths, warm beds and Hogwarts lessons and struggled to adjust together. They'd been forced to steal food and beg to survive. The fear they felt was the worst part of it all, never knowing how much longer they'd last before someone caught them.

All five, carried on with their learning as best they could. From scavenging books and practicing what they already knew. Minnie needed the most help, she'd only finished her second year at Hogwarts when they'd been forced to flee. But Gwen and Minnie grew close through the year together and the elder girl knew she'd do anything to keep the tiny blonde safe.

They had one aim during that year, learning magic could wait, revenge for what had happened could wait, all that mattered was not being killed.

After a while it had gotten easier- Daniel and Gwen had managed to place a number of charms on a grubby rucksack much to their delight. They placed amongst other things an undetectable extension charm, so that they could carry around ridiculously large amounts of things at a fraction of their weight. Daniel swore from that day that Gwen had been the one to crack it.

They'd often underestimated Gwen's credibility as a witch. This was something that she tried to ignore, it seemed quite…slytherin-esque of her friends, but she didn't expect any less. It wasn't their fault- even Mr and Mrs Dara, who had all but raised her were surprised when she excelled at things. Matt and the others didn't know how much she'd been taught while they were off at Hogwarts. Nor did they know that once mastering something- Gwen would not give up on it, until it had been perfected.

After about six months of camping in the wild, the five of them happened across a pair of dementors…after seeing Gwen perform a near corporeal patronus- on the cusp of taking shape, they would never doubt her again.

"It's pretty beautiful." Gwen spoke quietly into the darkness, still absorbed in the castle as they walked slowly forward, keeping to the shadows.

"You don't know what it's like Gwen, not really." Todd said sadly.

His words sent a chill through the others, reminding them of the seriousness of what they were about to do. Breaking into Hogwarts had to be the single most stupid thing any one had ever done. It wasn't like it might have been in the days of the golden trio.

Dementors really did prowl the grounds, along with dark wizards even during the summer months. All the secret passages had been blocked off- the only entrance was walking straight through the grounds to one of the doors. The grounds hardly offered much protection, the chances of them being caught was probably at their highest now that they;d left the shelter of the trees.

It had taken all their courage to trudge through the Forbidden Forest, which they knew housed giant spiders, lizards, various snakes and werewolves amongst other things. Minnie had held Gwen's clammy hand for most of the hours they'd been walking. But they encountered nothing except a few spiders, which '_Arania Exumai'_ had some obvious effect on.

Cora and Conor seemed to think, the early hours of the morning was the safest time to break into Hogwarts, while it was still dark. Gwen didn't agree- dark creatures thrived in darkness didn't they? Just look at werewolves…they were at their worst in the dead of night if the moon allowed them.

They walked in silence dreading what they were about to do- what if they were caught?! But then, they didn't really have a choice. They'd made a rough game plan of how to get into the castle, but none had genuinely expected to make it past the forbidden forest alive.

Gwen really was getting quite unnerved at the easiness of it all. Did death eaters take summer holidays? She snickered at the thought of death eaters, in cloaks and masks – sunbathing on beaches. She'd never seen a death eater without their masks on…she wondered if they were as human as they were.

"What's so funny Gwen?" Minnie mumbled next to her, taking her hand again to squeeze.

"Death eaters sun bathing." She chuckled again at the bemused little girl, whilst the others stared strangely at her.

"Nothing. " Gwen shook her head, stupidly, still smiling.

She was being silly, giddy with nerves at what they were doing – at what they'd done already. Maybe she'd explain later if they got the chance, but The Castle was looming closer and the threat of being caught was putting pressure on them all. As if reading all their minds, Matt stopped suddenly realising he was in the lead.

They were so close to the castle now, all that stood between them was a huge stone wall. Daniel wanted to lead them through the dungeons so that they could go in and leave as quickly and quietly as possible. Gwen once again couldn't believe they hadn't been seen by anything.

"Cora, you want to lead the way?" Matt whispered into the dark.

"No I do not." The girl huffed indignantly at Matt.

"I'll go first." Said Daniel, slowly scooting to the front. "Everyone stay together ok? We go to the room, we grab the coins and we get out…if..-" he stammered "-if…anything, anything bad happens, forget me- you run ok. All of you." He finished sharply with a look at Gwen and Todd.

"Daniel, if anything happens, then I won't hesitate to use you as a human shield." Todd said sarcastically to his brother, laying it on thick.

At this Gwen couldn't contain another snort of laughter. She knew it was dangerous and they'd all end up in excruciatingly painful trouble but it was something they'd have to do. Daniel stomped off scowling at their immaturity before the rest followed suit.

Gwen sometimes forgot how old Todd had gotten over the last few years, he was only a year younger than she was. They were both fifteen until Gwen's birthday next month. No longer was he the dopey blonde haired child, who idolised his older brother. He was sort of, almost, nearly a grown up. It might always shock Gwen when Todd would say something particularly amusing though, probably because he spoke so little and was more into brooding than even she was.

Todd smiled cheekily at his friend before following swiftly after his brother…or human shield. Minnie dragged Gwen closely beside her the whole way.

The inside of the castle was even more amazing than the outside, Gwen thought as they snuck through the deserted dungeons, up staircases and corridors. It didn't look particularly dangerous to Gwen at all, a little dark maybe but still magnificent. She wished it had been lighter, so she could see the portraits, talk to suits of armour –maybe get a glance at peeves?

Gwen at last got her wish as the others slowed to a stop before a particularly large wooden door with the word 'ASSUMPTA' carved into it, untidily. A bright lame torch ignited nearby illuminating the corridors.

She ignored her friend's scared faces, instead choosing to get a better look at the castle around her. There weren't as many portraits as Gwen had expected- there was only two or three along the wide corridor they were standing in. She stepped towards it to get a better look at the closest.

A portrait of a woman hung next to the door they were crowded around. She had a mane of wild dark hair and cold black eyes which seemed to convey her hatred of the existence of everything. She stood smirking at Gwen from her portrait brandishing a knife mechanically. Although the girl was shocked, she could have coped with the insane woman had it not been for the rest of the picture. The wild woman, smiled gleefully as she looked at what she was standing on, more than a dozen people. All lying still and unmoving in their portrait. The word mudblood stamped neatly into each person's arm was much too painful for Gwen to cope with. It was too close to home.

A gold name band along the picture frame read, Bellatrix Lestrange- most faithful.

"Sweet Merlin." Gwen breathed horrified at the picture in front of her, hand shooting to her left arm, where the word 'mudblood' seemed to burn against her knowingly. The woman in the picture smiled wider.

She hadn't realised quite how 'tag-em, and bag-em' the general pure-blood attitude was in the wizarding world towards muggle-borns. This picture was seen every day, by hundreds of people…_hundreds_ of children.

"Gwen- don't. Come on." Matt pulled her other free hand and dragged her to where the others stood waiting in the room, away from the picture. Gwen still barely noticed Daniels feeble and then desperate efforts to unlock the door in front of them, eyes glancing back to the portrait of Bellatrix Lestrange.

Only when Daniel thumped his fist against the door in frustration did she remember herself. They were breaking into one of the most dangerous places in the wizarding world. They were stealing from likely death eaters. Gwen could worry about her place as a muggle born witch (for the umpteenth time) once they'd escaped.

Her opinion of Hogwarts had plummeted dramatically and no longer did she wish to explore the endless corridors or grounds and towers. She just wanted to leave the awful place.

"We need them coins Daniel." Cora squeaked in panic. She still hadn't forgiven herself for losing them in the first place. She knew how important they'd been, but she'd never meant to be careless.

Gwen was just glad that they'd been found in a corridor and not in Cora's belongings. It might mean that the Cora and Conor couldn't be connected with them at all. But it would still mean that their parents were connected. The coins were far more important than any of them had realised when they'd borrowed them from their parents.

They'd been amazed at the way they could communicate with others who had the coins- like muggle phones send text messages. It was how Cora and Conor had been able to stay in touch with the others while they were on the run. It meant that Cora could send books and supplies wherever she could manage. The coins had been very useful indeed.

But once Cora had lost them, her mother had gone ape. She'd told her all the order members were connected to the coins, that they could be traced and sent to Azkaban- or worse. Cora told her friends she'd never seen her mother like that before. She'd tried to convince their father to go on the run, it had all scared her senseless.

But her mother never would have allowed her to break into Hogwarts…if she'd known what her twins were up to, there was no doubt in Gwen's mind that she'd have put a stop to it. But the coins were worth it- especially as it had been their fault, they'd been using them to communicate. They'd put so many people in danger.

"Cora's right." Matt nodded, "We've come this far- we can't go back now. Gwen open the door."

Gwen gawked at her best friends indignantly.

"Excuse me? What do you mean, '_Gwen open the door'_. If Daniel can't do it- then I bloody well won't be able to!"

"Gwen-"Matt started.

"Just try Gwen." Daniel said, trying not to look hurt by Matt's words. It wasn't exactly a calm situation for all of them. They all knew Matt was quite an insensitive dunderhead, but he had a good heart.

With a huff, she removed Minnie's hand from her own, drawing her wand and stepping forward, not sure where to start.

"Alohomora" she said quietly. She tried a few more times.

"Portaberto" again, repeating herself, focusing upon only the key hole.

"Cistem Aperio." She said hopefully, knowing it only usually works on chests and boxes.

"Know any more?" Daniel asked desperately, he'd started pacing up and down the corridor.

"One…" Gwen said slowly, doubting it would work. "But-"

"Just try Gwen." Daniel said once more, starting to panic.

"Open Sesame." She grunted turning back the door, flourishing her wand.

The spell worked exactly how it was supposed to. Much to Gwen's surprise and horror. With a bang, the door was torn from its hinges being shredded into lumps of wood the size of table legs. They flew backwards away from Gwen to reveal a humungous room, piled to the ceiling with shelves of tagged items that had been confiscated from children who'd attended Hogwarts over the last year.

A lot had been confiscated. How were they ever going to find the coins in this labyrinth?

"_Shit Gwen_, you blew it up. Bombarda Maxima makes less noise than that."

"_That spell is ancient_-"

"_Everyone will have heard_-"

"_What are we going to do_?-"

"_We have to leave_.-"

"_Woke the whole castle_.-"

"_Daniel_-." Minnie whined desperately, much louder than the rest.

"We have to go. Now." Daniel huffed, shoving them away from the door. "You go. Take Minnie. I'll get the coins." He finished leaping into the room full of junk, tripping over a pile of wood still left from the door and falling flat on his face.

Gwen glanced madly at her friends before diving in after Daniel to help untangle him from a plank of wood that he'd managed to get stuck up a trouser leg.

"Go." Todd huffed to the others following his brother into the room, not noticing Minnie scramble closely behind, refusing to leave those left in her family.

"Accio coins." Gwen muttered into the dark stepping away from Daniel. Hundreds of coins, flew through the air towards her, knocking things out of their way and breaking them to reach her. Keeping her cool, Gwen all but jumped into the pile of coins tossing galleons and sickles away, as if they were worthless.

Gwen listened barely while she, Todd and Daniel rummaged through the coins, as Matt convinced Cora and Conor to run. No one had to know they were involved. They still had parents that were safe to think of. Gwen silently agreed it was for the best that they ran back towards the dungeons, protesting feebly. They were good people, they were her friends, and she wanted them to be as happy as they could.

Cora could still be heard crying her regrets and the word 'sorry' even on the floor below them as Conor dragged his sister away. They'd only agreed to leave when they'd heard the noises. The yells and calling from around the castle.

"_Intruders." "Thieves." "Intruders." _

The four of them searched separately through piles of golden coins- there must have been a fortune running through their fingertips, hundreds of galleons but none of them were tempted to pocket anything. All they needed to find was _their_ golden coins.

"Minnie don't touch anything." Daniel snapped at his sister, who'd picked up a large golden ball nearby, turning it between her two hands.

The noises were getting louder outside. People were definitely yelling.

"Got it." Todd Grunted pulling a particularly large coin from the pile he'd created, shoving it in his trouser pocket.

"There's two." Gwen didn't hear who said as they continues to rummage. The noises outside were very loud now. Gwen thought there was nothing for it and turned desperately wand outstretched.

She didn't know what to do, even as spells left her mouth at random. There was no point in fighting yet, they needed more time.

"Depulso, Epoximise, Expulso." Gwen muttered, watching objects around the room, flying to barricade them inside.

Gwen knew it would do next to nothing- the majority of Hogwarts staff were trained death eaters, but at least she'd tried. It was _her_ fault. Why had she used that blasted spell? The ceiling started to collapse and crumble around the door, providing some cover. The objects grew, gluing and molding themselves together.

"Lumos." Daniel huffed into the darkness as the barricade blocked the light the flame outside had provided.

He was the only one still searching. What was the point? Even if they found it what were they going to do? Try to explain to the staff of Hogwarts that they were just retrieving some confiscated items that could potentially imprison dozens of individuals that have been fighting for years to defeat the dark lord that they worshiped from power?

Matt stood up lashing out at the closest inanimate objects, only managing to hurt himself.

Todd shuffled towards Gwen, so she could lean her head on his shoulder. She didn't cry though, there was no point. There weren't even any windows to try and escape through.

"Hope Cora and Conor got out" Todd mumbled into her head, wrapping his arm around her waist in comfort for the both of them.

Gwen thought it was a horrible end, to a horrible day, to a horrible year, to her mediocre life.

She sat listening to the Hogwarts professors outside, screeching at each other, probably afraid the rest of the wall would collapse on them if they tried to magic it out, which it probably would. Maybe they were calling for back up- dementors, werewolves and other various dark creatures.

Finally Daniel stopped ruffling through the coins, defeated. He stood, shaking slightly as he looked at his friends one by one as if he wanted to say something particularly important. To maybe make sure that they all knew how much he loved them all. Even Matt, _probably_. If only he hadn't been distracted things might have turned out quite differently.

"Minnie- don't touch-what…AH." Daniel yelped dragging his baby sister a couple of steps back towards Gwen, Todd and Matt.

Minnie dropped the object hastily, but instead of the smash they were all expecting the item began to hum. Instead of shattering on the floor it hovered slightly humming and being magical. They all turned in union to watch the object that Minnie found so fascinating.

It was a strange golden globe, but instead of countries, it was marked with numbers and squiggly lines, but the strangest thing about it was the way it pules and flashed different coloured lights. Blue, red, green, yellow, blue, red, green, yellow.

Gwen started to get unnerved as the colours started to change more quickly. Every time the colour changed a flash of something would shoot through her. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't exactly pleasant either. It was almost as if all her insides were quenching in anticipation.

What Gwen hadn't realised was all of her friends were feeling exactly the same thing. They all wore the confused and dazed expressions. After a few moments the colours were changing so quickly that they were blurring into one, large pulsing light that stretched further than it had before.

It was making Gwen dizzy now, where she still sat, leaning on Todd's shoulder. However hard to tried, she couldn't help her eyes from slipping closed. She tried to open her mouth to speak, but she was much too tired. She couldn't do anything to stop it, before she'd known her eyes were closed she drifted into a trouble less sleep with her best friends, the sound of death eaters blasting their way through the barricade was left as a distant memory.

**A/N**

**HI GUYS. I thought I'd better upload these two together, they were _one_ chapter, but I wanted them to be _separate_ for some strange reason. Reviews are always appreciated, feedback, criticism (of the kind, kind!), advice and idea's are loved! Normally I like to write decent sized chapters so these two might be a bit on the slim side, hopefully when the Marauders appear the words will _flow_. **

**So, yes, thanks and hopefully enjoy? :')**


	3. we've already done the seventies

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or anything affiliated. I only own Gwen, really.

**mutante tempus – we've already done the seventies.**

The last thing that Gwen would recall would be the burning light that had consumed her. She could still feel it, pulsing beneath her eyelids and it made her almost dizzy and rather clueless. It was dominating her thoughts, even after hitting the cold hard stone floor with a thump.

But, ever practical the mysterious gold object and blinding light could wait. She knew she'd have more important matters to attend to. _Like_, numerous death eaters boiling for her blood.

Gwen waited for a few moments eyes closed and face throbbing with pain from the impact of hitting the stone. She was trying to listen to what was going on around her. She hadn't expected to hear _nothing_. She waited for what felt like the longest minute of her life straining her ears for anything- any sign of fighting, footsteps, even breathing. She couldn't hear anything.

Once Gwen had finally peeled her eyes back her quick mind started to work overtime. She noticed it was light outside- meaning at least hours had past. She definitely wasn't in the same room as she'd been in before, because there was no junk and there were windows- and nothing was remotely broken or scratched. She was still in Hogwarts though. It was definitely still Hogwarts.

For a horrifying moment she considered the possibility that she might be a ghost. That the death eaters might have killed her and her spirit had chosen to dwell at Hogwarts. The idea horrified her- a mud-blood ghost trapped in a school full of death eaters and prejudice children. Luckily that theory was quenched and left her as quickly as it had occurred. She was _definitely_ alive or she wouldn't be in such discomfort.

And she _definitely_ needed to find her friends. With a few moments thought she slipped out of the door to seek them out. She didn't know how she'd escaped or where her friends were, it was all rather bemusing and she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. If her friends were in trouble, she'd rather be with them than escape herself.

Cora and Conor had left because they had families to think of. If they were caught then their parents would suffer too. For Gwen the others were her family.

Along the first corridor she encountered she noticed that there were many more portraits than she had seen the night before, mostly they were watching her suspiciously as if they knew Gwen did not belong here, some were dozing or having whispered conversations with each other. She crossed a strange picture of a group of Dogs playing (and cheating) cards before moving quickly along an idea forming.

The portraits could walk and talk- one of them must have noticed something. It isn't every night a group of youngsters break into Hogwarts and blow a room up. Gwen chose a portrait of a particularly squat looking man, dressed in armour who lay sleeping in what looked like a pen full of pigs. She reached her hand out to poke him readily before stopping.

She hesitated, thinking fast. It was true portraits could communicate with people. She'd been scared out of her wits as a child the first time she'd come across a picture of Matt smiling and waving at her. They were bewitched that way, but Gwen wasn't sure whether the Hogwarts portraits would be a help or try to hinder her. Under the dark lord's rule, she'd predict the latter.

But she didn't really have a choice if she wanted to find her friends. She didn't know her way around and one of them probably would have seen or heard something. Portraits are such gossips! She could try tricking or prompting a picture and keep them on side as best she could. They didn't have to know she'd broken in –or that she was a muggle born. The portrait might not even ask why she was looking for them.

Gwen decided she'd be as vague as she possibly could. The situation probably couldn't get any worse but she would be damned before she left her friends, she had nothing else to lose. All she needed to do was find out if the portrait knew where her friends had gone.

"Erm- Excuse me? Sir?" Gwen reached out to poke the portrait gently.

The short little knight leaped to his feet, brandishing a sword threateningly in the wrong direction, back facing Gwen. She never the less, jumped backwards almost as frightened as the man in the portrait had been. He turned quickly enough towards her- his armour clinking as though it were too big for him.

"What is your business here _wench? _Speak quickly and carefully, for they may be your last words. ARGH." He waved his sword madly once again and Gwen had to suppress the urge to laugh. She couldn't believe she'd been startled before, she thought the man looked quite silly, but wasn't going to say so.

"I'm awfully sorry to disturb you sir, but I'm a bit lost and in need of help" Gwen said sadly, trying to look as young and innocent as she possibly could.

It seemed to have worked to some extent, the little man dropped his raised sword and waved Gwen's apology off.

"You choose wisely lady! There are none who can help a damsel in distress better than I! Where is it you wish to travel? The seventh floor is rather nice this time of year!" He finished grin plastering his face excitedly.

This was the sort of portrait in Hogwarts she had been looking forward too, not the ghastly sight of that death eater woman, Bellatrix Lestrange fawning over mutilated muggle-borns. This funny little man with his funny little ways.

"Sir, I'm afraid I've lost some friends…and well, I need to find them _desperately,_ I'm not familiar with the castle…I'm not sure where to start…"

"Ah, missing comrades! Lost, stolen, imprisoned? This sounds like a quest, suited for _Sir Cadogan_. My lady we will find your friends, we will trout through many hardships and there is much danger before us."

Gwen thought the knight, Sir Cadogan was being a little dramatic- but he _did_ have a point. Hogwarts was riddled with danger and death eaters. The sooner Gwen found her friends, the sooner she could either face what was coming for her or try to find a way out.

"If you have no clues to where our noble friends are, then we ought to start immediately! We shall make our own luck on this quest and smite those who oppose us! Follow me!" He finished leaping into the next picture without a backwards glance – leaving his sword behind.

"Yes, but- WAIT." She called desperately, catching up with him. He'd stopped smartly, in a portrait that left him surrounded by looking disgruntled nuns. They didn't look very happy at the intrusion.

"Yes, fair lady?"

"Sir- Cadogan, is it? Yes. Um…well, I _do _need to find my friends urgently. But, see…the thing is…I want to surprise them! I don't want them or _anyone_ to know that we're coming, so that I can sneak up on them and…make them jump!"

"Ah, in retribution for their abandonment!" The knight nodded. "Very well, we shall take the most discrete passage- but _beware!_ Danger and peril lurk at every corner, trust only Sir Cadogan to protect you. At last we go forth! Farewell." The knight bowed lowly to the scowling nuns before rushing off away.

Gwen almost lost Sir Cadogan numerous times and only managed to find him by listening for the sound of his clinking armour or from following directions given from other more helpful portraits. At first she thought he was being aloof on purpose – maybe trying to get her extra lost or lead her to death eaters, but after a while it became apparent that he was fairly hopeless.

She didn't need a watch to know that she'd been searching for _hours, _literally. The sun was starting to set by the time Gwen and Sir Cadogan had reached their final dead end together. Gwen had stopped Sir Cadogan a few times and even once had wandered off intending to ask for another portraits help, but the knight had convinced her that he was the finest man for the job! Gwen hoped that wasn't the truth for the other portraits sakes, but she'd taken pity on him- at least they'd covered lots of ground and hadn't been seen by any members of staff…or worse.

"Alas! I was certain they might be here." Sir Cadogan said tragically motioning to a very plain and deserted cupboard which was stuffed full of wooden chairs and strangely a golden statue of what looked like a troll.

"Erm- could we not ask someone…one of your _many_ friends, if they might have seen them? They'd be hard to miss…They're quite scruffy…and there are three boys and a girl….they-all of them are taller than I am. They all have blonde hair…they...the girl is really pretty, ridiculously so…er- I guess the boys are sort of nice looking…handsome…from a girl's perspective-"

"Aw, thank you_, Gwennie." _A familiar voice rang through the corridor, thick with humour.

The sight of her best friend had Gwen jumping then stiffening in fury. It didn't matter that she'd finally found him (or he'd found her, rather) after hours of searching – she'd been worried _sick_ the whole time. She watched Matt, wander over, smirking at her in a condescending way.

She knew without even asking, that everything was going to be completely fine by the way he swaggered over not a care in the world.

Gwen normally had a very good reign on her emotions- never the crier, always in complete control of herself. She'd had to be after everything that had happened. Her friends would huff and yell to vent while Gwen was more of a 'they-said-that-in-the-heat-of-the-moment,-so-let- it-go' type of person. That might have been part of the reason that Daniel, Todd and even Minnie thought Gwen couldn't stand up for herself.

If she wasn't in control, then she left herself weak for people to get her- and that would never happen again. Few people could tell when Gwen was frightened, angry, confused or having a bit of a sulk and Matt was one of the few. She knew, he knew, she was angry, and his attitude made her all the more infuriated.

_How dare he?_ After hours of searching and worrying! After wandering around _this_ castle (with bloody, sir Cadogan!) which was probably _the_ most dangerous place for a muggle-born to wander in…he…he just flounces over with a big grin, not a care in the world!

"Idiot." Gwen hissed punching Matt none to gently in the arm the second he'd gotten close enough. Matt's cowering reaction might have made her laugh under different circumstances.

"Ow, Stop it, woman!"

"No, Idiot. Idiot. Selfish. Jerk. –worried. Sick. Idiot." She hissed throwing another punch or swat at him between every word until he managed to grab her wrists and hold them away from him.

It took several minutes of yelling at Matt for Gwen to calm down enough for him to tell her everyone was fine. That _everything _was fine.

He expected Gwen to forget the death eaters, the coins they'd broken into Hogwarts for, Cora, Conor- just drop everything and follow him.

"I'll take you to the others now- this is _so_ cool Gwen! You won't even believe how amazing this is! It's like WOW. But Daniel's a bit pissy so maybe be gentle with him. And then there's – I can't say – wait till you meet him, Ugh we have to go." Matt tugged Gwen.

"Thank you- Sir Cadogan, you're my hero." Gwen said bowing dramatically, hoping he'd appreciate her effort at lady-like-ness. She had questioned him an awful lot through the day and he'd never lost his temper with her.

He seemed to quite like being bowed to.

"Farewell, beautiful maiden! With eyes as blue as the sea and hair as brown as….dirt, tongue as sharp as-"

"We get it-" Matt interjected.

"If ever you are in need of rescuing, do not hesitate to call upon faithful Sir Cadogan!" He called.

"Bye!" Matt waved back, dragging Gwen along away from the uh, _eccentric_ knight.

"Where'd ya find him Gwen- Incidentally, I think my hair is more caramel than-OW. Stop hitting me. You crazy hag."

She was a bit sorry after she'd realised she'd quite hurt Matt, but not sorry enough to apologise. She still didn't have a clue what was going on. She trusted Matt blindly, she knew no matter what happened he'd never let anything hurt her or the others, but she couldn't stand not knowing how the situation could have changed _so_ dramatically.

Last night, they'd been barricaded in a room surrounded by vicious death eaters…and now, well…

"Matt, what _are_ we doing? This is _Hogwarts._" Gwen said a bit hysterically.

"Yea, it's _Hogwarts_!" He repeated full of enthusiasm.

Gwen thought maybe then, she was wrong to trust her friend so wholly. What if he was leading them into a trap? Gwen and Matt had been in nappies together, they'd shared baths as toddlers (a fact which he often reminded her of) and they trusted each other more than anyone else in the world. But what if Matt wasn't in his right mind? What if he'd been bewitched or cursed to find her and take them to _them_.

She looked hard at him. He looked exactly the same as her Matt always looked. A little tired, but that was only to be expected. What did someone under a curse look like? The imperius curse didn't leave any visible signs that Gwen recalled. How could she tell if Matt was in control?

"Are you ok Gwen?"

"Fine." She smiled looking into his face and deciding. She'd never leave Matt. She might give him a good smack when he deserved it- but Matt was her _brother._ She wouldn't even be angry with him, if he led her into a herd of death eaters- or the dark lord himself! "I do love you Matty."

He looked at Gwen as if she'd grown two heads, before dragging her along more quickly. She'd never be able to find her way round Hogwarts, it was just _so_ confusing. Stairs corridors, then wait for a set of staircases to align with where you wanted to go (something which fascinated Gwen no end). It was awesome and amazing but it was still effort and the portraits, though so far had all been perfectly nice, did not make life any easier by following them or strolling in and out to talk with each other.

Gwen thought, by the time they'd reached their destination, if she ever had to climb another staircase again she'd cry. After all this walking, she was stumbling along to keep up with Matt, she hadn't realised how unfit she was.

Matt stopped suddenly at a dead end with a rather ugly gargoyle statue and turned to Gwen merrily.

"Watch this- _Fizzing Whizzbees_"

_Sure, now we reach a _moving_ staircase_ thought Gwen bitterly. They hopped on to the stairs together. She once again wondered worriedly what awaited them. From the look on Matt's face, it was clear he wasn't worried at all. But all too soon the staircase stopped and it was time for Gwen to face her fears. She stumbled into the grand room that Matt had led her into, not sure what to expect.

To her relief, a set of alive and relatively happy Abbots greeted her.

Todd, who was stood closest to the amazing-if slightly over the top staircase, reached in for a quick hug before she had registered it was him. She could see as he squeezed her tightly that they were all here- all safe. Matt, Todd, Minnie, Daniel and-

"Ouft" Gwen grunted having the breath knocked out of her. Minnie had leapt across the room to throw herself at her friend in relief. The meant-to-be-hug, turned into more of a tangled heap of Gwen and the younger Abbot siblings on the floor.

"Sorry Gwen!" Minnie tumbled helping her, into a sitting position on stone step next to her. They all turned back, to face towards the centre of the room, where a man sat behind a thick desk.

"Damn." Gwen breathed looking into the all too familiar face of _Albus Dumbledore._

She'd never seen him in the flesh of course, just through portraits and old snap shots in rare books or in homes of the order_. Everyone idolised this man_. Gwen had grown up being told he was the bees knees until he'd died.

But here he was alive and kicking, with a warm smile and eyes twinkling. He looked much older than Gwen thought he would – but then he would, wouldn't he? Unless this was a trick.

_Everyone _had always thought Dumbledore was dead- Dumbledore died. They buried him in Hogwarts grounds…did that mean he'd been alive all this time?

Her tired mind became distracted suddenly as Matt settled on a bench nearby, with a tray of sandwiches in his hand, passing one to Minnie. What with one thing or another, Gwen hadn't eaten in more than two days. She'd been too busy to worry about her grumbling stomach, but now that they were in a room with food she could feel her mouth-watering.

An internal battle raged within Gwen, grab the food or be polite and find out what's been going on. The latter won and she found herself turning back towards Albus Dumbledore trying to return his smile, ready for answers.

"I must say, I'm rather relieved to have found you Gwendolyn! Your friends have been very worried! But I trust Sir Cadogan aided you as best he could? I get lost myself, often- it's a wonderful place." At this Albus Dumbledore leaned to stroke the wall behind him lovingly. "But, I'm getting ahead of myself –I've heard so much about you, I feel as if we are already acquainted. I am Albus Dumbledore"

After a moments gawping, she remembered herself.

"Gwen- Fray. Uh, I'm a big fan Mr Dumbledore." Gwen said stupidly.

"Professor." Todd corrected.

"Yes. Professor. So, um…" Gwen gestured around the room manically.

"Oh Gwen!"

"We're in the _past._"

"Seventies."

"Back in time."

"So cool."

Between Matt and Minnie, Gwen found herself thoroughly confused. Finally Minnie won out the verbal battle to explain, while the gentlemen in the room sat back patiently to let her speak. _They'd gone back in time. To the seventies. _They'd all woken up around the castle one by one and Professor Dumbledore had taken them up to his office. They'd all been really worried because of how long they'd been looking for her. Minnie had thought that she might still be in the future in eighty seven that was.

Matt said they'd had a hard time convincing Dumbledore that they were telling the truth.

Gwen completely understood. Ten years. _Ten_ years. That was a massive chunk. She'd only ever read that time turners could safely take you back a few hours- did this mean they were in danger? She was curious as to what the globe had done, was it similar to a time turner? She understood all too much Dumbledore's scepticism. Time travel was rare and risky.

"He didn't believe us, not until we'd shown him your book collection! Daniel still had the rucksack with him, see-from before. Professor Dumbledore wanted to see the dates- and then, he took some memories from all of us…" Matt finished, mouth full of food, nodding towards a large glowing basin in the corner of the room. Gwen didn't bother getting closer, she'd had quite enough of mysterious glowing objects.

"Apparently some of your _classic_ books, haven't even been released yet. We have spells, potions and charms that haven't been invented!" Minnie squeaked excitedly handing a tray of sandwiches to the ravenous Gwen. _Finally._

"It is a rather extensive collection of books, considering you have been fugitives for the last year. You must be a very passionate reader."

"They were rather hard to acquire. Once I'd got my hands on them…I just didn't want to part with them." Gwen responded thoughtfully, savouring the taste of her first sandwich. She'd never underappreciate food, ever again.

"You have excellent taste."

"I don't think I have taste when it comes to books, I just love reading – muggle books, magic books, spells, stories, history -_anything._" Gwen trailed off shrugging. Books didn't really seem like the thing to talk about.

Then again, a thought occurred to her.

"What do you mean?" She said looking at Minnie, who sat playing with a hole in her jeans "None of the books are hardly _recent_, they're all pretty damn old." At least twenty, to fifty years.

An awkward silence stretched around the room and no one felt like talking all of a sudden even under Gwen's suspicious glare.

"See Gwen, when Matt said we're in the seventies- well,we've gone a little bit farther back than ten years." Todd said very seriously, even for himself.

"Excuse me?" Gwen took the time to gawp at them all before picking up another sandwich. She knew what they were going to say, but she wanted it said _out loud_ before she reacted. Frankly, she couldn't care less what the date, time or location was. She was so damn tired.

"We're in the _nineteen-seventies!_" Minnie squirmed excitedly in her seat. "He Who Must Not Be Named, isn't even in complete control yet!"

Yep there it was. _Nineteen seventies_. Gwen wasn't really sure how to feel or react.

Gwen hadn't really lost anything…ten years, _one hundred_ and ten years, it was all the same.

She still had everything that was most important to her, she was so relieved to not have death eaters around her that she just didn't care. Gwen didn't have anything except her friends. She wished Cora and Conor were here, but she had the others. _Her family_ and that was what mattered really wasn't it?

"We've told Professor Dumbledore everything about the future, everything _we_ remember at least. Gwen knows much more than we do sir. Anyway, we've given him a rough idea about what's going to happen. About the golden trio hunting bits of…what, what were they called?"

"Horcrux." Dumbledore and Gwen said in union, glancing up at each other, Gwen rather embarrassed.

"Yes!" Minnie agreed quickly. "Well, they didn't find them did they? And then there was the battle at Hogwarts that He Who Must Not Be Named won and then, well everything got worse from then didn't it?" The little blonde girl turned to Gwen with wide sad eyes. She couldn't keep up with these mood swings. Was Minnie happy or sad? Gwen thought if she knew how the others were feeling she'd be surer of herself. Was this_ good_?

"It did, didn't it?" Gwen agreed, pushing the tray aside onto the step next to her. She was starting to feel ill, from the conversation, lack of sleep and excessive amount of cheese sandwiches consumed in the last few minutes. Her body clearly wasn't ready to eat large amounts of food yet.

"Azkaban, the district, muggle-hunts." Daniel said quietly, he'd been silent since Gwen had reappeared and she worried for him, on top of everything else!

No one else had noticed either apparently. Minnie and Matt seemed to be handling this swimmingly, Todd looked almost bored he kept his face so composed but Daniel had gone bright red and looked sort of crazed, it didn't help that every so often his left eye would twitch.

"Yes. It sounds inexplicably awful. You're all so young." Dumbledore trailed off sadly, deep in thought. Gwen watched as he twirled his finger around his beard, eyes half closed.

"Can we go back do you think? Forwards in time?" Todd asked calmly breaking the second heavy silence.

"Well, one would think, since you've travelled one way…- but would you _want_ to return to the year in which you left?"

Dumbledore went back to twirling his beard, staring thoughtfully at them all as if they were a very difficult cross word.

Gwen then really realised, that she was sat in front of, possibly _the_ most powerful wizard to ever live. She wouldn't let herself be fooled by his aged appearance- this man- at this moment in time, was the only man that the dark lord was afraid of. The power that must have floated inside him, made Gwen feel inadequate somehow- he must have had bigger problems to deal with than five lost teenagers.

But he did seem to care a great deal. The way he'd listened intently as they spoke, the compassion and understanding with which he'd responded.

_Did we want to go back? _Gwen thought, already knowing the answer: _no._

Gwen would rather live here, a century in the past than return to that place, full of awful people and terrible memories.

She hated it.

She'd been forced to go on the run like an animal. Stealing, living rough, in constant fear of attack- and they'd still barely survived. To be a muggle-born in 2087, was as good as a death sentence. She'd never said it to her friends, but she'd die before she went to the district. Whatever happened there was likely worse than death. Every day she'd lived had been one more than she expected to. Her friends would be shown lenience- they had _magical_ blood. _Magical_ ancestors, but Gwen would be less than a play thing for them to hurt and torture.

She didn't want to go back. She couldn't.

Gwen didn't even know if there was any chance of them being allowed to stay. Perhaps the great and powerful Albus Dumbledore, was dangling this carrot in front of them-ready with a stick to send them back.

Surely it wouldn't be as simple as not going back. How would it affect people they interacted with? Would they be able to lead lives of their own? Would they have children? Would they age how they were supposed to? What if one of them impacted on their own past so badly that it meant they were never born?

_What if, what if, what if._

All of a sudden, Gwen's thoughts were interrupted by Daniel smacking his fist against Dumbledore's desk in frustration.

"_I think that can wait. _We might not even be able to! What are we supposed to do in the mean time? I'm not going to be born for another one hundred years! We have _no money, no family, no qualifications-" _Daniel started pacing and talking fast, this is obviously what he'd been thinking about for the last hour or so that Gwen had been in Dumbledore's study. "I'm the oldest! _I'm_ going to have to look after you, I'm _supposed_ to look after you! And this is where I've gotten us. We never _ever_ should have broken into Hogwarts. Poor Cora! And Conor! This is my fault. We're-"

"We're no worse than we were before Daniel." Gwen said firmly, she didn't mean to sound quite so harsh but Daniel having a hissy fit wasn't helping at all "We were destitute. We ate food from _bins._ We lived in a _tent._ We were hunted for existing! _If _we stay here, then we'll be better off- just by not having our name on an execution list!"

An awkward silence hung over the room and Gwen realised suddenly that Minnie and Matt looked distinctly uncomfortable at Gwen's snapping. Dumbledore on the other hand, had an odd sort of gleam to his twinkling eyes, like a man with a plan.

"Mr Abbot. Arrangements can be made, I will not leave a group of children to fend for themselves. If you and your company desire to study at Hogwarts then I will see it is done. If you chose to remain and do not wish to study or reside here, then I will help in any way that I can – I have numerous contacts that I am sure will aid you and your friends endlessly. They need not know you are from one hundred years in the future…If you _do_ wish to return to the decade in which you have come from" Dumbledore spoke evenly, though his eyes sparkled less brightly "then I will do whatever I can for you.

"I understand that it has been a long hard day and I'm sure you all have quite as much to think about as I do. You can have a few days to discuss plans of your futures together. Term does not start for a few more weeks. Perhaps everything will seem better after some well-earned rest? Brawly!"

With a pop a tiny little creature, who reminded her strangely of an overgrown bat appeared in front of them all.

Gwen had never encountered a house elf before, she'd read about them in the diary of Hermione Granger, but the house elf in front of her, Brawly – was nothing like she'd expected. She thought the elf looked quite wrinkly, had long bat like ears, a small squished nose and was wearing naught but a tea towel with an unfamiliar Hogwarts crest.

The crest she had grown up with had consisted only of a vicious-looking green snake.

The elf bowed lowly to all in the room before turning to Dumbledore.

"Yes Professor Dumbledore, sir" it squeaked professionally.

"Brawly would you be so kind as to set up beds for these five children in the kitchens? They need food, rest and a long hot bath I don't doubt. Tomorrow I would like you to bring Gwendolyn to my office once she is ready. I have something I wish to discuss with her. –You will be well cared for I can assure you, Brawly is an exemplary cook and a valued member of Hogwarts."

Dumbledore smiled, nodding at the two girl's constant thanks and watched as they left the room. Dumbledore had never encountered such a strange experience in all his life and that was saying something. He strode to his pensive, determinedly. He would have long year ahead of him-if not longer and he had much to think about before he could involve the girl, Gwendolyn tomorrow.

He believed their story of course, where others would have scoffed. Magic helps people in strange was when they need it to. Dumbledore was sure the children being brought here could only bring good things for the future- their presence could change everything!

Gwen didn't hear much of what the others spoke of as they walked down to the kitchens with the house elf, Brawly. She was deeply immersed in her own thoughts and who could blame her?

They'd gone back in time more than _one hundred years_. Every person she'd ever known hadn't even been born yet. The Dara's, The Colt's, Harry- for that matter, every person's parents hadn't been born yet either. They really were very alone.

But Gwen still couldn't decide whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, what had happened to them. She didn't want to go back to eighty-seven, she was sure of that – but she didn't want the others to know, because whatever they wanted to do she'd never leave them. Her happiness didn't really matter compared to theirs.

Gwen muffled a scoff at how selfless she made herself sound. In reality, she was just too selfish to let them go or have them despise her. They'd probably never leave her anyway, but if they wanted to go and stayed for her- then they'd resent her forever, Gwen knew them well enough to be sure they'd hold a grudge, even if they loved her. And Gwen didn't want that anyway.

One hundred years was a long time. Muggle-borns were still being discriminated against of course, but nowhere near the sort of levels that Gwen was used to. She might not have to live from a tent or a rucksack here. She could get a chance to go to Hogwarts and learn from actual teachers. She could finally prove to herself – and the others, that she was a proper witch, heritage be damned _she had magic_!

Before Gwen knew it she was climbing through a secret passage behind a portrait of fruit and into a large kitchen crowded with house elves all similar and so different to Brawly. The five stood and admired the little creatures working after Brawly had shooed them away. At least twelve had bustled over to great them and offer them food. _Excellent service._

"Hey how long were you guys up with Dumbledore before you found me?" Gwen asked suddenly, stifling a yawn. She seemed _much_ more tired than they were.

"A fair few hours. Dumbledore found Minnie and Daniel first, they were together and he took them straight to his office to have a word with them." Matt started.

"We'd been there a few hours, when suddenly Dumbledore said he had to go somewhere- half an hour later he strolls in with Matt and Todd following!" Minnie said. "We were quite worried about you, you were gone _all day_. But one of the portraits told Dumbledore you were with sir Cadogan heading to where the half-blood common room is, obviously we know our way around, so Matt went to go and get you."

"Yea…he's quite a handful…Sir Cadogan." Gwen muttered, following Brawly to where five beds had just appeared with a click of her fingers.

"We wouldn't know- there's never been many portraits since we've been at Hogwarts." Matt said, looking to the others for agreement. It reminded Gwen once again that they'd _time-travelled_. It might be a chance for everyone to start again in a good place.

"He's pretty intense isn't he? Dumbledore?" Todd said suddenly pulling Gwen onto the mattress next to him. Gwen thought he looked strange. Daniel had freaked out and gone hysterical, Matt and Minnie were revelling in the situation, but Todd had sort of closed himself off, he looked blank.

"Yea he is." Gwen reached up and kissed the top of his head in a sisterly way, before leaning back and plopping her head onto the pillow. She couldn't help any of them yet she was too tired, tomorrow she would devote her day to ensuring that her friends were happy. She didn't want food or a shower or even a blanket, she just wanted a nice long sleep.

Gwen woke up well before the others the next day, she'd been tucked with a throw by someone during the night. She was relieved to see that her four friends were sleeping soundly around her -they all looked younger when they slept- but didn't have much time to enjoy the moment.

Brawly crept over, careful not to wake the others, with a tray of food so beautiful that made Gwen want to weep. She'd never seen such a spread, eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, toast…there was so much and her stomach was too small to have everything. At the time, Gwen thought that choosing what she wanted to have for breakfast might have been the most important part of her day, unfortunately it wasn't.

"Professor Dumbledore says to give Miss Gwendolyn food and a bath and then take her to his office to speak with him. Brawly will take good care of Miss Gwendolyn for Professor Dumbledore. Is Miss ready for her bath? It is big and comfortable and we will get you nice and clean."

She'd forgotten Dumbledore wanted to speak with her, but decided not to wake the others. They deserved their rest. Gwen stole clothes from the rucksack next to Daniels bed (she wasn't even sure who's t-shirt and jeans she'd pulled out, but they were hers now) and followed Brawly closely to the…'bath'.

It was more like a swimming pool in reality and for the second time that day Gwen was overcome with it all. Brawly thought of how hard the little girl's life must have been, to react so strongly to food and a bath. Brawly decided she would have to take extra special care of Miss Gwendolyn, because she wasn't very good at taking care of herself.

The house elf actually went as far as to offer to help Gwen wash in the bath, the idea was hurriedly declined as politely as possible. Once Brawly had left Gwen stripped, filled the bath with a pink, strawberry smelling foam and all but dived into the full tub. She hoped all Hogwarts baths were like this one, but doubted it. It was so much wasted water!

The bath gave Gwen some time to have a proper think about why Albus Dumbledore might have wanted to talk to her. The only thing that made Gwen different was…well, the fact that she was muggle-born and was the diary she'd been translating through the last year.

Being muggle-born wasn't as big of a deal here, but it was something she'd never forget. Even now in the bath, since the dirt and grime had been washed off her the word 'mud-blood' glowed on her arm. Hermione Granger had inspired the 'creative' identification method according to the order, which brought Gwen's thoughts back to the present.

The dairy was a _big_ deal. The others had always rebuffed her whenever she'd spoken about it, because it had been the past. It had already happened and they couldn't change it- but now…

Was Dumbledore tempted by the idea of changing the future? Did he think, he could destroy the dark lord once and for all before he really got his claws into the wizarding world? Should Gwen help him if he could? Or would that erase their existence from history…but then if it did then she'd never have existed to help Dumbledore.

Gwen's brain hurt.

What was the _right_ thing to do? Even if it did stop her from being born somehow, surely destroying the dark lord would save hundreds, probably thousands of lives. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few didn't it?

An image of Matt flashed through her mind as she thought of what it might be like to not exist. She could never do that to her friends, no matter what. She'd decided that yesterday hadn't she? That they had to be the most important factor in whatever happened? But maybe she could help, without effecting their timeline?

"UGH," This was all much too confusing Gwen thought as she pushed herself under the water, holding her breath.

She spent the rest of her overly long bath, trying very hard not to think about anything but how nice the warm water felt. The bath was sorely needed- she scowled at the colour of the water once she'd finished and dressed into her clean clothes, drying her hair with a wave of her wand. Brawly was kind enough to offer to wash the dirty clothes for her. Gwen wished her luck getting the stains out dubiously and trying not be nervous, she followed the house elf from the bathroom.

Brawly chatted happily as she led Gwen back up to Dumbledore's office. Gwen was growing quite fond of the little elf, she had a very positive attitude and obviously thought highly of Dumbledore. Her family had been in Hogwarts for generations but Brawly could never had wished for a better man to serve than the current headmaster.

"Do you not get lost Brawly? It's such a massive castle."

"No Miss Gwendolyn, Brawly has lived here all her life- Hogwarts is her _home._ She does lots for Hogwarts, she gets to wash dishes and cook in the kitchens and make beds in the dormitories, and sometimes," Brawly's eyes widened with excitement "Brawly is getting to clean the owlery during the holidays when the children are gone!"

Gwen thought it was quite anti-climactic, but Brawly seemed pretty happy with the idea of cleaning bird poop and that was the main thing….

She got led right up to Dumbledore's office and didn't even need to say the password thanks to Brawly. She uttered how grateful she was for her help this morning before hopping onto the moving stairs once more, nerves taking over.

The headmaster's office was much less crowded today. It was surprising how full, five skinny teenagers could make a room seem after a long day. Gwen did a double take, before she realised Dumbledore sat watching her with a smile. She hadn't noticed him before, strangely. But then, there were much more interesting things to look at in the room. Gwen felt like a child in a sweet shop, she wanted to touch and ask what everything did.

She walked very slowly towards the desk, trying to take in everything in the room that she hadn't noticed before. There were so many objects that did so many things. She missed a step trying to get a better look at a particularly large square object, with numerous dents in it.

"You pull the leaver." Dumbledore told her simply.

"Am I…do you mind?" Gwen asked not wanting to be rude.

"Not at all. Curiosity is not a sin." He responded.

Gwen cautiously pulled the metal lever towards her before being consumed with a shower of bubbles. She couldn't contain the giggles that consumed her. It was such a silly thing to have happened. She wondered if anything else in the room did something so strange.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk as he had done the day before, surveying Gwen as she inspected his magical objects.

"Wow." Gwen smiled at Dumbledore, finally satisfied that she'd taken long enough to look at everything.

"Please take a seat, Miss Fray." Dumbledore gestured to an empty chair that had been placed in front of Dumbledore's mighty desk. "I assume you have some idea as to what I wish to discuss with you Gwendolyn." Dumbledore said solemnly.

"Erm, I'm sorry Professor. I think my head is much too full to choose _just one_." Gwen responded suddenly serious, trying not to be intimidated by the man's power as she had been the day before. All Albus Dumbledore had been so far was kind and this wasn't something Gwen would fail to appreciate. She'd help this man in whatever way she could.

"Ah, I myself suffer. You have been through an awful lot and haven't had time to process it all. Would you care to venture a guess?" He said patiently, as though talking to a very young child.

"Are you allowed to know all the spoilers?" Gwen lip quirked at the question. Depending on the answer, Gwen's guesses might be very different. If Dumbledore knew all the little details of the future then he could change far more than Gwen or the others could. But she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. She'd better leave it in _his_ hands. If he decided then she wouldn't feel quite so responsible if something bad happened...like ruining the world.

Dumbledore returned her smile, "I think, your friends have already told me enough to guess what the future has to hold. I knew and suspected some before of course…but, Gwendolyn I think you should tell me _everything. _ I am old and perhaps wise enough to decide whether the future you have experienced can be prevented-or if it is best left to unfold how it will. The more I know, the better informed my choice will be."

"That answer was very…diplomatic. Well, if I _were you_…" Gwen started hesitantly. "then I would be most concerned with defeating the dark lord. You devoted lots of your life to fighting evil. You _will_ spend…you _are_ spending...well this is very confusing!"

Dumbledore chuckled in appreciation, motioning for her to continue.

"I think you have called me up here to see, if I have enough information to help you defeat the dark lord." She spoke quickly now. "but before I can help- I have to know what will happen to us if the future is changed. Will we cease to exist…what if…we were un-born?"

"Ah yes, in my eagerness for knowledge I have forgotten my priorities. You and your friends are fairly high, I have given it some thought, the object your friend –Minerva described, is not something that I have ever come across. Perhaps it will not be invented for some time, but I think it is safe to say, since you have already broken a number of suspected rules and laws that govern time travel, that you and your friend's existence will continue as a permanent fixture in this time period. You will age and you will die in good time."

Gwen released the breath that she hadn't realised she'd been holding. He hadn't said it in the gentlest way but, if they chose to they _could_ have a life here. She knew he could be lying of course, but she couldn't help but trust the man in front of her. Everything in her mind encouraged her to help him wherever she could. So she would.

"I know about the horcruxes. Well, I will, sort of- I'm guessing since you've _browsed_ through my book collection that you've come across The Diary of Hermione Granger?"

"And the rather neat translations you have provided in a similar diary yes, please continue."

"Yep. Well, I'm half way through…it's a very big book- so much detail and lots of things aren't even very relevant. I've left whole pages blank because I just don't know so many words. But I do know about some of how they were destroyed…and you know what they were- or suspected they were. Everyone knows the story about Harry Potter being a horcrux-but he hasn't been born yet, then there is the dark lord's snake- she is still around in a hundred years-"

"Gwendolyn. Forgive me for interrupting, I understand how chaotic your train of thought must be. You have travelled back in time- a significantly large period. You are speaking of your past and _my_ future. But, would you mind telling your story chronologically? It will make everything much simpler, my mind is not what it once was." He finished sadly.

Gwen was quite embarrassed, but she'd never been very good at talking to anyone let alone telling stories. She'd always been more of a listener- soaking up information, but she would try her best if it helped Dumbledore.

"I doubt that Professor." she complimented him "But yes. Erm, It all started in nineteen eighty one, with the boy who lived…"

Gwen and Dumbledore spoke for a very long time, many hours. Brawly brought pumpkin juice and another tray of sandwiches for the both before lunch but it was mid-afternoon by the time Dumbledore was satisfied with Gwen's account of his_, their_ future. He stopped her several times, leading them both onto unnecessary tangents until he caught himself and allowed her to continue.

Gwen was grateful that he never got annoyed when she got confused or forgot something and often he prompted her, filling in gaps with what he had guessed. He was an excellent listener.

Gwen spent those hours going through everything that she recalled about the golden trio, mostly through the eyes of Hermione Granger. Gwen spoke fondly of Harry Potter, whom Hermione had clearly loved dearly very soon after becoming friends. Gwen had always suspected the Harry Granger she had known as a child was the son of the infamous Harry Potter, which in turn warmed her heart to him.

She explained the events surrounding a prophecy made about Harry Potter and about the betrayal of his parents, which led him to becoming a horcrux and temporarily defeating the dark lord as a baby. She told him about Harry's first year, about a man who had shared a body with the dark lord and infiltrated Hogwarts. The first year involved many unnecessary details and questions about trolls and dragons.

His second year had been much harder to explain, since Harry had been the only one able to speak parcel mouth and due to Hermione's petrified state. Unfortunately it was the year that Dumbledore wanted the most details on and Gwen stumbled over many things until he was satisfied fully with the details of snakes, spiders and the heir of Slytherin.

His third year had been fairly lightly glossed over- Gwen had trouble remembering the names of the people involved, though one had been a _werewolf_- though Dumbledore didn't seem particularly bothered and deducted that there had been a misunderstanding as to who betrayed Harry's parents as a baby. The focus of the year had been on the fact that a man had returned to the service of the dark lord and had helped him back into power.

The fourth year of Harry Potter's life had been the hardest to explain, Hermione had started to include more personal entries about each challenge and a ball that she had attended. Gwen had trouble explaining some sort of cup-tournament which Harry was involved in because a fake professor had tricked it. But it had resulted in the re-birth of the dark lord, with the use of Harry's blood.

After Gwen had finished explaining the fourth year Dumbledore had stopped her, so that he could spend a few minutes pacing in silence before he allowed her to continue.

Harry's fifth year revolved mainly around Harry having a connection with the dark lord- because of the horcrux, this was the year that the dark lord had been allowed to dig his claws in, because of the magical newspaper, The Daily Prophet and a man named Fudge at the ministry nobody had believed the dark lord had returned until the very end of the year.

By Harry's sixth year Gwen was becoming much vaguer not having translated the diary any further, since she'd only ever heard about it through stories of the order. But that was the year that horcruxes had started to play a prominent part in the trio's life. She glazed over the death of Dumbledore – at his request omitting details of those involved.

After the death of Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter had gone on the run, defeating horcruxes until his demise in Hogwarts at the hands of the dark lord along with his best friend Ronald Weasley and a great number of other wizards and witches.

Gwen eventually recalled that there had been seven horcruxes, not including the segment attached to the dark lord's body in total: A diary, a cup, a ring, a necklace, a crown, a snake and Harry Potter himself.

After the talk Dumbledore learned far more than he needed to know- about the gate-keeper's friendship with the trio, about the cursed defence against the dark arts position, about the dementors role throughout the trio's lives and much about a prophecy that he hoped would never be uttered. He found it all very hard to digest.

Dumbledore didn't doubt the truth of a single word that the girl had spoken, it was true that she understood far more than her friends gave her credit for. And Dumbledore could tell, after only a brief encounter yesterday she had been astute enough to predict that he would use their knowledge to his advantage in the war against Voldemort.

Her failings as she reported her knowledge to Dumbledore hadn't been in the information she'd been giving – it had been the importance of the small things she'd neglected. Had she not realised that Harry Potter and his friends had also been on the verge of conquering the Deathly Hallows? Or that the sword of Gryffindor would not be a special 'horcrux-killer' unless it had been impregnated with basilisk venom? She hadn't realised that smaller stones falling during the early years of their lives had caused a landslide to be released?

But then perhaps her ability to innocently overlook the obvious would benefit him. He was in no doubt about whether the five children would be staying at Hogwarts for the next year at least.

He _did_ want to help them, and he could do so, by allowing Gwendolyn to help him in turn. He was glad that she hadn't made the connection between the years just yet, it would only be a matter of time though. She hadn't realised that James Potter, the father of the boy which the story revolved around was currently attending Hogwarts. Or that one of his three friends would betray them to Voldemort. Nor had she realised that Dumbledore had allowed a _werewolf_ to attend Hogwarts.

Dumbledore had held his composure barely as she'd used the word werewolf with a grimace. In one hundred years, the werewolves Gwen heard tales of would be under the bidding of the dark lord, of course she would be frightened. The stigma placed around those who suffered from the condition was understandable, but Dumbledore thought after all the prejudice she had encountered as a child she might have thought twice about judging a man in such a similarly helpless condition. But everyone has flaws, even himself.

_Perhaps, once she meets him and realises_…Dumbledore thought.

They were both fairly drained after the stretched discussion. Gwen felt as though she needed a good nap, but she had things to do. Dumbledore asked only for a few final words before he called Brawly to take her back to the kitchens, or wherever her friends had chosen to wander off to- they _were _familiar with the grounds after all.

"So, Gwendolyn – what are your thoughts?"

"You…you want _me_" Gwen scrunched her nose in disbelief "to help _you, _to destroy horcruxes."

"If you are willing, your aid would be greatly appreciated. Obviously you would be doing a great kindness in helping to defeat the dark lord. Any part played would earn you renown and great recognition-"

"I _don't want_ to be famous." Gwen said too quickly. She did want people to know that being muggle-born didn't make a difference, she wanted her friends to know that too. But that wasn't the same as wanting fame?

Dumbledore gave Gwen a curious look that she was starting to recognise.

"Very well- you would be compensated of course. I understand that to the right sellers, spoils of the basilisk could-"

"Basalisk?" Gwen asked confused and then embarrassed over interrupting Dumbledore for the millionth time.

"The big-snake." Dumbledore clarified.

Gwen half smirked at herself in embarrassment. Apparently her ancient runes hadn't been coming along quite as well as she'd believed. She _had _told Dumbledore that she'd found lots of words difficult.

"Incidentally, the proper name for the, -er- crown, is a _diadem,_ it is much the same as a tiara. They are very similar and I am sure you have translated the diary, impeccably well."

Gwen blushed playing with her fingers and waiting for Dumbledore to continue.

"Yes, I am sure that spoils of the basilisk – the skin, fangs and venom in particular could fetch a substantial fortune –more than enough to keep you and your loved ones comfortable and secure for hundreds of years…_Any_ _help_ provided by you, would entitle you a portion of said sales."

"I'd like to help, I would, but isn't there anyone a bit, there are probably people who would help a lot more than a fifteen year old girl." Gwen raised her eyes to meet Dumbledore's questioningly.

"I would like to keep this between the two of us if that's all right with you Gwendolyn? Even your friends needn't know yet- but if something were to happen to me, then I can think of no one better to continue destroying horcruxes. The diary after all is in your possession. It was given to you, I think that speaks far more volumes than anything else could." He said it so sincerely and with such confidence that Gwen suddenly felt much younger than she ever remembered. The world was much too big for her.

"Oh-er…well."

"Excellent!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Brawly!"

With a pop, the familiar house elf appeared next to Gwen, bowing already.

"Would you mind escorting Gwendolyn to her friends, I'll call for you over the next few days and we can start work before the students begin their next term!" Dumbledore finished in a very business-like way. "I'll look forward to it Gwendolyn."

With that Gwen found herself being ushered and dragged from the office by a fussing house elf.

What had just happened?

**A/N**

**firstly thank you to the reviews from guest and PoopIsTastey, (er-interesting name?) PS this is the kind of bad-ass chapter we like! T****en thousand words! I'm mildly impressed by myself! Seriously even just the one follow made my day :-)**

**I know it's pretty dark, that's partly why it's an M, but it'll get better! Especially since people will start recognizing things in chapter four! **

**Thank you to anyone who read this at all, I hope you guys are in good spirits and hopefully this effort-taking-chapter will get a couple more reviews! Any one want any particular meetings in the next chapter? It's Diagon Alley, it could be _anyone_...within reason, we all know Iron Man doesn't belong here however cool he is.**

**I babble-typed, sorry! THANKS GUYS :-)**


	4. for the sake of the giant squid

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or anything affiliated. I only own Gwen, really

**mutante tempus: for the sake of the giant squid.**

Daniel decided fairly quickly that they would be staying at Hogwarts to finish their education. Gwen was quite surprised that Matt didn't protest that he hadn't been consulted about what their plans were. Matt got a bit pig-headed and alpha male sometimes, but Daniel's decision was really what they all wanted. Gwen mostly.

Gwen _loved_ Hogwarts. She _loved_ it.

She loved the food, the castle, the grounds, the books. Oh, how Gwen _loved_ the books. The library was like paradise to Gwen and with no librarian to guard it she was in there for hours at a time. Daniel had more than once physically carried Gwen out of the library and banned her for the day.

It wasn't just the material Hogwarts that Gwen loved, it was the people. Mostly not even real people, but the encounters Gwen experienced within the first few days made Gwen feel almost like a normal teenage witch for the first time in her life.

First there were the house elves, which were wonderful and amazing and quite frankly, _adorable._ At first she worried that they worked too much, despite obviously loving it. But after many long chats, Gwen learnt that working in Hogwarts was probably the happiest house elves could ever be. They were still allowed to work, but they were treated well and were _never_ punished. Perhaps her favourite thing about them would be how motherly they were to the five of them. Gwen quite liked the attention she was shown by the house elves, for so long she'd been responsible and almost a care giver to the others, now she was finally being doted on, namely by Brawly whom Gwen had become very attached to.

Gwen quickly became acquainted with several of the Hogwarts ghosts, she thought the Fat Friar (the ghost of a jolly monk) was quite funny and very helpful, he'd given her a mini tour of the main corridors at Hogwarts and advised her to stick to them until she was more familiar with the maze of a school. She'd also enjoyed many conversations with the portraits of Hogwarts – just liked she'd dreamed of as a child. Sir Cadogan was definitely growing on her, similarly to a mole she had on her arm that she was rather fond of. Gwen became much more independent wandering the halls alone, speaking with portraits and ghosts while the others went about what they wanted to do. Everyone was perfectly lovely.

Especially Hagrid. The moment Gwen caught sight of him, she'd known who he was. By his size, appearance and enthusiastic friendliness Gwen knew. Hermione Granger had loved Hagrid dearly since she'd started her first year at Hogwarts, she'd written that he was '_the kindest man they'd ever known_' and Gwen had taken to trusting Hermione's judgement. Hagrid and Gwen had talked for so long about how wonderful Hogwarts (and Dumbledore) was that he'd lost track of time and rushed off in a hurry with a giant, pink umbrella making Gwen promise she'd visit him for tea one day soon.

Professor Dumbledore introduced the five of them to some of the teaching staff that resided in the School over the holidays in the first few days. He was very careful and mysterious with his words as he introduced Professors, Sprout, McGonagall, Flitwick, Darcy and Bourbon to them all. He'd told them only that they would be starting in September due to extenuating circumstances. Most had greeted them warmly, before leaving them to do as they would around the castle and Professor Flitwick had even joined them for a meal one afternoon in the kitchen.

Professor Flitwick had explained to them all about the house system, which didn't exist in 2087. He didn't find it odd that they weren't aware, since they'd grown up away from Hogwarts. There were four altogether, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin. They all fought it out each year (sometimes, literally) to win the house cup by earning points. Flitwick stressed that Ravenclaw was the best house to be in. It just so happened that Flitwick was also head of, said Ravenclaw house.

He was a tiny little man, only reaching Gwen's hip but he laughed louder and more often than even Matt. He'd been curious to know what years they'd be in and how their skilled they were at charms which was the subject he taught (he was pleasantly surprised that Gwen was able to use the _Aguamenti_ spell to create water, especially considering many sixth years have trouble with it).

It had been decided, that although Gwen and Matt should be starting their sixth year and Daniel his seventh, that the last years circumstances should be taken into account. It was important that Gwen and Matt received OWLS before progressing so they would be held back with Todd to do their fifth year. Minnie would begin her fourth year despite technically skipping her third and Daniel would begin at his sixth year, where he last left off.

Luckily they'd all been using magic regularly over their travels, though Todd and Minnie would struggle more than the rest. Gwen couldn't believe it! She'd actually be going to a school, to _Hogwarts_ with her _best friends._

Gwen was so happy that she realised a lot about herself at Hogwarts. Mainly that she was a sucker for kindness, literally. Anyone who was kind to her, had her automatic affection. When she mentioned this to Daniel he'd looked pretty unnerved. It reminded him of children not knowing the danger of strangers. Just because they weren't being hunted any more, didn't mean that there wasn't danger out there- the dark lord _was_ still out there, and once Hogwarts and started to fill up again Gwen needed to choose her friends carefully.

Minnie mentioned, probably more than once a day how different Hogwarts in the twentieth century was, than Hogwarts in the twenty first. There were many more portraits (all of them were significantly happier), there were no anti-muggle posters dotted around the school, and there was no death eater equipment dotted about, threateningly.

Perhaps the most upsetting thing was that there was no giant squid in the future. All five of them had been surprised at the sight of it. One day they had gone down to the lake to relax in the sun and had ended up paddling and splashing water at each other. They'd all been playing and completely at ease until the giant squid had joined in with their fun, sending an almighty wave crashing over them and chilling them to the bone. Rather than be shocked or frightened Gwen, Daniel and Matt had taken their wands and sent waves back, until the play had turned so serious that they'd been lifted from the water by one of the squid's arms and placed firmly back onto the grassy bank to dry off in the sun.

Gwen wondered what the death eaters had done with it. What harm could it possibly do? Obviously it had to be quite a clever and magical squid to be able to play with Hogwarts students – but it had been so gentle, that's all it had done, _play. _

Watching Minnie and the others, even Daniel made Gwen surer that she was going to help Dumbledore. They were _going_ to change the future. If for nothing else, then for the sake of the giant squid.

After three of the best weeks of Gwen's life the first horcrux trial arrived. Dumbledore had chosen to wake Gwen up fairly early one morning, a couple of days before the school term would start again so that they could

She was thrilled that she'd managed to find her way up to Dumbledore's office without any help. Hadn't it only been a few weeks ago that she'd thought she'd never find her way around Hogwarts? Now it was more like a home to her than anywhere else had been. Which was strange since they still slept on the beds in the corner of the kitchen, surrounded by house elves. Things would be so different in a few days, once they'd been separated in houses and classes. She felt like her stomach weighed a tonne at the thought, but at least she was in the same year as Matt and Todd.

"Fizzing Whizzbee's" Gwen called to the gargoyle a few feet before the secret entrance to Dumbledore's office. She hopped off the moving stairs and into the office in a giddy mood over what they were about to do.

"Good morning Gwendolyn, thank you for coming." Dumbledore said brightly, "You seem in good spirits."

"Brawly made an excellent breakfast, it was well worth getting up so early for. That's a very nice hat Professor." She grinned at the elderly man.

"Oh- do you like it? I'm attending a lunch today with the minister of magic about arranging some documents for you and your friends- thought I'd better make a good impression." He told her, eyes alight.

"You look very…nice sir!" Gwen nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm glad. Did you bring the diary?" Dumbledore questioned seriously as Gwen pulled the thick little book out of the rucksack she'd brought, handing it to him. _On loan_ he had promised.

"Did you bring the bird?" Gwen replied rather cheekily, to Dumbledore's amusement. He inclined his head towards a caged rooster in the corner of the room Gwen hadn't noticed.

"And the sword?" Dumbledore nodded patting his breast pocket.

"And the- _diadem_?" Gwen finished.

At this Dumbledore pulled a small a large metal box from beneath his robes and held it up for Gwen before replacing it.

"I think it is best not to touch it directly Gwendolyn. Horcuxes are very dark and dangerous after all."

"Yes." Gwen agreed "Did you find the room, then?"

"Seventh floor, in the left corridor opposite the tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy to teach trolls ballet. Exactly where you told me it would be. One of my favourite corridors, if I do say so myself. I found the rooster there also, conveniently enough. Rather strange isn't it?" He smiled dreamily.

Gwen fully intended on visiting the Room of Requirement herself, now that there was no horcux, lurking in one of the rooms, but the sooner they destroyed the bloody tiara, the sooner Gwen could start thinking about other things – she'd let Dumbledore concentrate on finding the other pieces of the dark lords soul.

"Er-Professor?"

"Oh yes, I suppose we'd better get started, hadn't we? Second-floor girls' lavatory isn't it…I haven't been there is years. A poor girl lost her life in that room- I should have known then."

Gwen followed Dumbledore out of his office as he led the way to the bathroom. Gwen hadn't tried to find it during her stay so far. A portrait had told her that there was a particularly depressing Ghost named Myrtle haunting, but it was mostly due to the fact that it was also an entrance to a chamber which held the world's deadliest snake.

Dumbledore looked quite a sight as he strolled through the corridors, occasionally waiting for Gwen to catch up with him. He had a distinct spring in his step, pair that with his fancy robes and hat and the fact that he was carrying a rooster in a cage around, like a briefcase and Gwen thought she'd found herself a completely deranged wizard. _She thought he was great. _

They'd been through the plan so many times over the last couple of weeks. Get to the chamber, find the basilisk, kill the basilisk with the sword, destroy the horcrux, then leave. It seemed simple enough but by the time they'd reached the second floor girls bathroom, Gwen's mood had plummeted. It didn't feel like such a good idea, when you're standing opposite the entrance to a chamber that you could possibly, probably die in. Definitely die in, without Dumbledore Gwen reminded herself.

_It was just a sink_.

"Would you care to do the honours?" Dumbledore said pointedly at Gwen.

"I'm sure you'd do a neater job Professor…but." Dumbledore wasn't really offering her a choice. Gwen took a few more steps back standing beside Dumbledore, before pulling her wand from her pocket and- "_Bombarda_"

The sinks blew apart, flying in different directions and generally causing a lot of noise and mess. She wondered if the teachers would come looking to see what the racket was- or whether they would just assume it was Peeves (whom Gwen had not had the displeasure of meeting in person).

"Excellent!" cried Dumbledore. Gwen stared at him. She'd just _blown up_ a room in _his_ castle. She looked at the destruction around them. It was lucky that nothing had hit them, because the majority of stalls had been destroyed by the flying shards of stone. Several toilets had burst and were proceeding to flood the bathroom, but Dumbledore merely stood gazing admiringly, as though Gwen had just done him a great kindness. "Shall we proceed, hm?"

Dumbledore strolled forwards towards the pipe with his rooster, waving his wand to turn the deep grimy slide into long stone stair case. Ladies first, he beckoned Gwen forwards, to go ahead of him. At this point Gwen was a bit distressed. She no longer found anything remotely funny about the situation.

She did trust Dumbledore, but she'd really wish she'd never been involved.

_You owe him_, she told herself. That and the fact that they'd be one step closer to destroying the dark lord kept Gwen's feet moving.

"Professor?"

"Yes Gwendolyn."

"Do you think he'll feel it? When it's been destroyed- He Who Must Not Be Named-"

"Voldemort-" Dumbledore corrected.

Gwen shuddered.

"Always use the proper names for things, Gwendolyn. He was not always so feared, when I met him as a child he went by his given name of-"

"Tom Riddle." Gwen said thoughtfully. "I think I'd rather call him Tom Riddle than…well…than _Voldemort._" She whispered the last word into the darkness.

"I know I'm being silly," she said, catching sight of Dumbledore's face, as they finished the set of stairs "But, we've never been allowed to say his name before…it feels like I'm using a swear word. _Anyway_- will he feel it do you think?"

"No." Said Dumbledore immediately. "Not at first at least. I think perhaps towards the end…but Voldemort has strayed so far from humanity that I do not think the destruction of _this_ horcrux will affect his current state. He will not know, I am sure."

The chamber of secrets had always sounded quite impressive to everyone who had heard the legend. Gwen was distinctly unimpressed. There were a number of creepy snakes, carved into the stone walls, which she was sure she saw moving every so often. It was very cold, damp and smelly and Gwen couldn't understand why anyone would want to be here _ever._

"And you're sure the rooster will kill it?"

"_The Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it_."" Dumbledore repeated the words to Gwen which he'd found in a disturbing library book. "I do not think, that we will need Fawkes to aid us, as he did with Harry Potter. The basilisk should be in a very deep sleep. It should be perfectly safe…"

Gwen wasn't much comforted by Dumbedore's words and kept one eye shut as long as they were in the chamber. She watched the famous wizard in amazement as he strolled through the chamber not a care in the world, he waved his wand and a door opened in front of him to reveal a far more impressive passage. _This_ was the chamber.

When they'd finally found the basilisk, after wandering in and out of smelly drains Dumbledore clapped his hands together gleefully and motioned for Gwen to come forward, which she reluctantly did. It was disgusting, it was literally the size of a train. As thick and long as any train she'd been on- though it curled and bent in a way a train would not.

It also had petrifying eyes, venom tipped fangs and a taste for human flesh.

Gwen could see the absurdity of the situation in her head. Slytherin creates deadly monster to kill all muggle-borns, so Dumbledore brings along a muggle-born to help, just in case! Gwen would be very good bait if the creature woke up…not that either of them would live long enough to run.

The sound of the rooster calling suddenly brought Gwen out of her daze. Neither of them had said anything in a very long time, afraid to break the silence.

"Is that is Professor?" Gwen whispered after being sure that nothing had happened. The snake hadn't howled in agony or thrashed about in pain. It didn't even slump- it just stayed exactly how it had been before, very still and very silent.

"One would think so." He replied. "But, better to be sure." Dumbledore pulled a sharp, ruby incrusted sword from within his small velvet pocket and lifted it high into the air and through the snakes head, pulling it back out just as quickly. He moved very swiftly and forcefully for a man as old as he was and it was fairly impressive to watch.

The basilisk still remained unmoved or effected by the rooster or sword through its brain. Gwen thought the build-up had all been for nothing until she realized the headmaster was pulling the little silver box from inside his robes and placing it on the grubby floor in front of him. He looked very messy considering he was going to have a fancy meal with the minister of magic- maybe she should suggest that he go change and they finish this job another time?

"Gwendolyn." Dumbledore handed the sword to her gently, it was oozing with what she assumed was basilisk venom. This had been the agreement, Dumbledore would kill the snake and Gwen would impale the horcrux. But really if Gwen had known all she'd have to find was a sword and a rooster she'd much rather have had Dumbledore's job.

The sword felt very large and too much for Gwen who staggered under its weight. The name Godric Gryffindor gleamed along the blade, though careful not to touch the liquid she turned the sword in her hand's proudly. This had belonged to _such an important man._ Since Gwen had encountered Professor Flitwick she had hoped to be sorted into Ravenclaw, but in that moment all her beliefs changed. Being in the clever house didn't matter very much anymore- this was the sort of thing that mattered. _Being brave_. Suddenly Gryffindor looked like the only house that she could aspire to be in, that she would be _proud_ to be in.

"Gwendolyn?"

"It's cool, let's just get it over with." Gwen muttered, not looking at Dumbledore as he flicked the silver lid case open to reveal the horcrux within. She took half a second to admire its beauty before she rammed the heavy sword into it. It didn't look pretty for very long. A shrieking wail echoed throughout the chamber which was painful to listen to. It lasted long enough for Gwen and Dumbledore to share a panicked glance, before the horcrux, the diadem rusted and shrivelled before their eyes and finally silence was restored. It was as though all the reaction Gwen had expected from the snake had been released by the diadem. It was horrible, it felt as though she had plunged a knife into a beating heart.

"Do you feel like…maybe that was _too_ easy Professor?" Gwen asked after a few beats. Was that really all it took? A few agonisingly long seconds to destroy a seventh of what kept the dark lord alive?

"I doubt, Hermione Granger would agree with you Miss Fray. Well, now that's that, we can start work on our next trial! Shall we go back to my office? It rather smells in here." Dumbledore said briskly, before closing the lid of the diadem and walking back towards the piped staircase, leaving Gwen to haul the sword back up to his office trundling behind him.

She caught sight of herself in a mirror, as she left the stairs that connected with the bathroom. She was quite grubby and in need of another bath after her trip down into the sewers and she felt the sword looked ridiculous in her hands. She looked like a knight from the middle ages.

_If I were a knight, I'd be more like Sir Cadogan._ _Ravenclaw is for me_, Gwen thought firmly now that they were out of the chamber and the deed had been done she didn't feel brave at all. Just tired. They couldn't have reached Dumbledore's study soon enough.

"At least, it's done before term starts and Hogwarts is full of children. I wouldn't like the idea of a giant hibernating, murderous snake lurking in the castle." Gwen said cheerfully to break the silence that had followed them all the way through the castle.

Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk and touched the diary of Hermione Granger before turning to address Gwen seriously.

"Yes. I am glad you mentioned next term- I have taken the liberty of making some arrangements for you. I hope I haven't overstepped any boundaries, I'm sure you and Mr Abbot are perfectly capable of sorting it all yourself but I thought it best, that way I shan't worry about you. This afternoon you will be going to Diagon Alley. You still have Hogwarts supplies to buy, before you begin your studies! I have sorted rooms for you at the Leaky Cauldron- the landlord, Tom is especially kind and will take excellent care of you. You will stay there tonight and tomorrow before leaving for the Hogwarts Express on the first of September along with the rest of the students."

"Oh." Gwen managed, sliding into the seat opposite Dumbledore. Whatever she'd expected Dumbledore to say, it certainly wasn't this. They'd all assumed they'd be staying in the castle until the other students arrived but Dumbledore had an answer to this.

"I think it would be best and perhaps draw less attention if you were to arrive with the rest of your classmates. It will give them a chance to…er, encounter you before your sorting with the first years. I'm afraid it is tradition to be sorted in front of the rest of the school and cannot be avoided. I believe neither you nor your friends are familiar with the sorting?"

"Um no, in the future…the pure-bloods head to _Slytherin_ and the half-bloods are in a separate house…muggle-born's _never_ attend Hogwarts."

"Yes." Said Dumbledore sadly "It's a very simple process- we place a sorting hat on your head and he will decide, depending on the qualities you possess which house you belong in. You are much older than students who are normally sorted, it will be curious to watch.

"I have taken the liberty of opening a Gringotts account for you. There is some money in there already – plenty for you to buy necessities, school books, equipment's, supplies…perhaps some new _clothes_?" Dumbledore finished looking pointedly at the much too big t-shirt and jeans Gwen was wearing, which Todd had been wearing before their last wash. Daniel would probably end up wearing them tomorrow.

He did have a point. But when you're on the run and eating from bins, frivolities like clothes tend to go out of the window. Gwen would like to make a good first impression in whatever way she could, she wanted to make a good life for her and her friends.

"Professor, I'm not sure I could take it- the money. What if it takes years for you to sell the basilisk parts?" Gwen said guiltily. Dumbledore had done more than enough for them already, but he was making her feel like a sponge or a user.

"Call it an advance of a small fraction of your share. I can assure you that it will take days to find a buyer…basilisks are quite rare you know…" He said eyes twinkling.

"Thank you Professor- really. For everything."

"Gwendolyn, you have provided the means to prevent the wizarding world from suffering terribly. I, am the one who is grateful. Would you mind passing these on to your friends? Thank you." Dumbledore smiled as he watched Gwen leave to find her friends again. She left the sword balanced carefully in the corner of the room with a final wistful glance at it.

/

Gwen made sure that they were all dressed in the nicest clothes they owned (which were still quite scruffy) before they were allowed to Floo their way to the leaky cauldron, from Dumbledore's fire place. None of them had minded leaving particularly, so long as they'd be coming back in a couple more days, in fact they were quite excited to see Diagon Alley again, deciding it must be quite different. Dumbledore told them the meeting with Minister, had gone 'swimmingly well' and that Tom would be waiting to show them to their rooms in the leaky cauldron once they arrived.

"Gwendolyn, here is the key to your vault. 693, I'm sure your friends are familiar with Gringotts."

"Er- sort of." Daniel raised his eyes at Gwen, meaning she'd probably have to explain _why_ Dumbledore had given her a vault which could be tricky. Especially since she'd given Dumbledore her word that she'd tell her friends _nothing_ about the horcruxes. The fewer people who knew, the better. "Well, thanks for everything Professor Dumbledore- I guess we'll see you in a few days?"

"I hope you enjoy your stay in Diagon Alley! Do avoid straying from the main lane won't you? I doubt I have to remind any of you that these are still _dangerous_ times!" Dumbledore said as way of goodbye before he watched them step into the fire one by one.

Tom really was very nice to them once they'd arrived, probably because Dumbledore had been involved with making the arrangements. Using the man's name stretched to a lot.

Minnie and Gwen had a room to themselves, sharing a double bed and Matt, Daniel and Todd had a room next door to share between the three.

"I wonder how much it costs to stay for a night?" Minnie mused.

"Er-"

"Don't 'er' me Gwen, you always do that when you're hiding something. Matt says you've been acting shifty for days…and he should know. So- where'd ya get the money from?" The young blonde asked plopping herself on the bed.

"None of your business that's where."

"Aw, come on Gwen- I won't tell Daniel." Minnie pleaded. She gave Gwen the puppy-dog-eyes, which seemed to work every time

"It's just a loan really" Gwen lied. Well, it was a loan since the basilisk sale hadn't gone through yet. Had that really only been this morning THAT SHE'D STABBED A HORCRUX. After the busy afternoon they'd had already, it felt like days ago. "besides- Dumbledore _offered it. _And you know, if he needs help with anything then, I said I'd help him- in return for his kindness."

Minnie still didn't look particularly satisfied by the answer, but at least Gwen had given her _something_ to feed back to her nagging brother. He really was a fuss.

"Fine then, keep your secrets!" Minnie scowled. "We'd better go spend your _loan _before the muggle shops close, it's coming up to four."

The muggle shops, could wait. Gwen thought as she followed her friends out of the leaky cauldron and through a solid brick wall into another place Gwen had dreamed of visiting since a child. Hogwarts had always and would always have been top of her dream list, but Diagon Alley was something else.

Having never been in there before, Gwen was left speechless. Matt had been pretty impressed commenting there were much more shops nowadays. She felt she should have known better than to think wizard shops would be anything less than what Diagon Alley offered them. Robes, Cauldrons, Pets, Wands, Potion Supplies, Quidditch, Books- oh _the books_!

But all that would have to wait until after they'd gotten their money from Gringotts, which was surprisingly, easier than Gwen thought it would be. Once you'd gotten over the size of the bank, intimidating goblins and the odd smell of furniture polish the place was really very impressive. Maybe less so as they were led from the large marble entrance into a cold dark corridor which led the way deep into the vaults.

"Are we going to need more than one boat?" Gwen said stupidly to them all trying to think of a word to describe the train like contraption.

"Only two to a _cart_." The Goblin grimaced, as though they weren't worthy of being acknowledged by him. "Three wait here."

"Oh er-Daniel?" Gwen motioned towards the cart- he was the oldest, which he kept reminding her. It made sense for him to see how much gold they had, he might even relax, because Daniel took comfort in knowing everything. If they had enough gold then he'd not worry as much and if they didn't then he'd try to find some way of acquiring it (possibly by selling body parts down knock-turn alley).

"I'll wait here- take Matt." He nodded his head towards the sulking boy, who didn't look particularly happy at being overlooked.

Luckily his sulk didn't last very long. The cart ride was not appreciated by Gwen, who'd rather have walked and felt quite ill afterwards. But once the goblin had yelled '693' and opened a thick door to their vault for them, all thoughts of sickness were forgotten.

"Sweet Merlin." Matt breathed out, gobsmacked. "This is, this is all _yours?_"

Matt turned to Gwen with gold still glistening in his eyes, speechless.

"_Ours_." Gwen corrected, almost as stunned. Dumbledore's words 'an advance of a _small fraction_ of your share' rung through his mind. There had to be a few _thousand _galleons here_._ Neither of them had been poor as children but they'd never seen as much money in their lives. After a year of scraping by to survive, it took a lot for Gwen and Matt not to be greedy with it, afraid maybe that it would disappear and their rotten luck would return.

Unfortunately, there was no adult there to prevent them from taking double as much as they'd need. Matt and Gwen managed to scrape several large piles of gold and a few sickles into the rucksack, before heading off back to the dreaded cart.

The others could tell by the gobsmacked look on their friends faces that they'd been handed a lot of gold. They'd be doubtful about how much, until their next trip into the vault to see it for themselves.

"We do need _muggle_ money as well." Gwen told them all. Once they'd bought new clothes all the old ripped, baggy and battered items they owned would be going straight in the bin, no exceptions.

"You can exchange it- at the desk. With that goblin over there." Daniel inclined his head towards a particularly surly looking goblin, scribbling over sheets of parchment.

"Me?"

"Its fine Gwen, we'll be right here- go on." Matt gave her a little nudge towards the counter and in the direction of the grumpy goblin. She walked very slowly, measuring each step before she reached him. If Dumbledore had been there he wouldn't believe that the same girl who had impaled a horcrux that morning with the sword of _Godric Gryffindor_ could be shy and weary of a goblin.

"Um- excuse me sir?" Gwen said in a very small voice to the goblin behind the desk.

"How can I help madam?" the goblin barely looked up from his writing.

"Um- would it be possible, to change galleons into, into muggle money? Er- stirling?"

"Of course. The current exchange rate is…one Galleon to _four muggle pound and ninety seven muggle pence._ How many Galleons would you like to change?" The goblin still hadn't looked up.

"Um, fifty?" Gwen stumbled not really sure what the goblin had said, but too afraid to ask him to explain it again.

"Very good Miss, please place your Galleons onto the scale." He motioned to the strange instrument in front of him- which looked nothing like a set of scales Gwen had ever seen before- and she hurriedly complied, fumbling for a few minutes, to her utter embarrassment.

Once they'd changed their money (Gwen had been handed £248.99, and seven Galleons, which she hadn't meant to tip onto the scale) and Gwen had mumbled thanks to the goblin, the five of them hurried out of the bank avoiding eye contact with anyone. Quite an irritated queue had formed as Gwen was being served.

Diagon Alley, _was_ a pretty amazing place but it would all have to wait. Gwen nearly crumbled walking past all the shops she was dying to go into. Flourish and Blotts had been almost physically painful and she made sure to walk _really_ slowly past the store trying to get a better look.

"Later Gwen, probably tomorrow-we're going to take _ages_ in the Muggle Shops." Todd grumbled giving Gwen a good tug away from

"Well if you guys want, me and Minnie can buy our stuff, while you buy yours? I'll just give you some muggle money and we'll meet back at the leaky cauldron afterwards?"

Shopping with Minnie was going to be…challenging. As soon as the offer had left her lips she'd regretted it, but the boys had _jumped_ at the chance to go and buy their own clothes, while Gwen took Minnie around muggle shops on the other side of the leaky cauldron. They had all of tomorrow to buy their Hogwarts supplies so they took their time.

Gwen had been shocked by how far pounds would go in each shop, they were worth probably five times as much as they had been in a hundred years. She spent a fair few of the hours spent shopping, moaning to Minnie about how the world was going to the dogs until Minnie had reminded her that _they _were the dogs it was going to.

It wasn't nearly as hard as Gwen thought it would be. They'd had a good laugh at the strange and brightly coloured clothes around the shops and tried on far too many hats. But when it had come to serious shopping they'd needed help from every sales assistant that offered, except a fairly old and conservative looking woman who seemed to want Gwen to buy sacks full of granny pants.

Gwen spent a lot of time looking at herself and Minnie in wide mirrors as they shopped in various shops. She couldn't help comparing the both of them, as she did sometimes. Minnie looked perfect in everything she tried on.

Gwen _did _seem to have developed a chest that she hadn't noticed before. It had grown a lot since the last time she'd bought new clothes and made the rest of her feel much smaller in comparison.

All in all, it was a pretty constructive day and after an evening meal with the boys, Gwen and Minnie really had thrown any item of clothing they didn't need in the bin, brutally. They were sad to see that their new wardrobe consisted of mainly dresses and skirts but surely they'd sell trousers somewhere in Diagon Alley?

Getting up on the early on the 31st of August had never been so easy for the five friends in their lives. The prospect of wandering through Diagon Alley all day, meant they'd made it down the steps with a spring in their step to meet in the parlour.

"Oh my god. Gwen, you're wearing girl-clothes. You're wearing…a dress." Matt opened his mouth, at the simple blue dress Gwen had chosen for the day with her hair in a neat plait. She'd needed to wear a baggy cardigan to cover her scarred arm but Minnie had promised her she looked fine. Gwen thought if she shaved her head, Minnie would tell her it looked fine though…

"Astute, as ever Matt. Seriously, what do you think?" Gwen turned to Daniel and Todd, seeking an unbiased answer. Fashion in the nineteen-seventies was hardly what Gwen was used to and she was worried the muggle shop keeper might have tricked her into some of the purchases the previous day.

"You look very pretty." Todd grumbled, gracing Gwen with a rare smile.

"I hadn't realised how skinny you'd gotten." Daniel said pain faced making everyone feel uncomfortable. Gwen wouldn't let anything ruin this day.

"We're going to need to work on your social skills, Danny boy." Gwen joked trying to lighten the mood. "-besides, have you seen how much I've been eating at Hogwarts? By the end of the year, I'll weigh more than you and Minnie put together."

"Enough mopey talk- Happy Birthday Gwen!" Minnie sang with glee holding out a large loosely wrapped box.

"Oh." Gwen flushed with pleasure at the sight of a present. It's not that she'd forgotten it was her birthday, but they hadn't really celebrated any birthdays in a very long time. Gwen hadn't wanted to bring it up and seem self-absorbed. _But since they'd been the ones to bring it up…_

Gwen tore of the wrapping paper with as much dignity as she could muster before

"_Your _own _diary_. Now you don't have to fuss about _Hermione Granger._" Minnie rolled her eyes.

"And a beautiful Quill." Gwen added stroking the purple feather between her fingers.

"For-to-write-with." Matt grinned "It was _his_ idea." He added as an afterthought nodding in Todd's direction.

Gwen felt her heart warm and a grin spread across her face at her blushing friend. Bless them all. Todd remembered! And they'd gotten her a birthday present. A _good_ birthday present, that she'd actually use.

"Awr. I love you guys." Gwen cooed soppily pulling the all into an awkward hug that attracted far too much attention. "Screw breakfast, who wants an ice cream?"

Gwen was in extremely good spirits for the majority of the day, despite being pushed around by bustling witches and wizards, desperate to buy last minute school supplies they'd forgotten. It was pretty damn busy in Diagon Alley so Gwen didn't have much time to enjoy it while they were shopping for the things they _needed_.

The same as the day before Gwen handed the boys a handful of gold to the boys and they went their separate ways to shop. There was so much to buy and they'd although they'd gotten up early they'd made a mistake leaving it till the last day to purchase everything. They'd gotten everything they needed more or less, but it had been a close call-especially in flourish and blots book store, which is where Hogwarts sold most of their school books.

Gwen vowed that she'd go back to that shop before Hogwarts as Minnie dragged her away to buy potions ingredients. Minnie dragging _her_ out of a shop was a novelty because in every other shop they'd entered Minnie had wanted countless things and Gwen had found it increasingly difficult to refuse her. She'd never seen Minnie so happy in all her life, for the first time in more than a year she was actually acting her fourteen year old self and being a child. Amongst buying potion ingredients, cauldrons, books, scales and black cloaks, Gwen had been dragged against her better judgement

There were so many hidden buys throughout the day on top of the list they'd been given. Uniform hadn't been on the list, but it was a fairly obvious one. It had made quite an unusual conversation for the shopkeeper at Madam Malkins robes for all occasions since she'd never heard of having students start Hogwarts half way through their education. They'd bought plain robes and would have to use magic to alter the colour of their ties accordingly. It was in Madam Malkins that Minnie and Gwen had run into the boys, who reminded them they needed to buy large cases to take to Hogwarts.

"And here we go again." Gwen sighed stepping out of the shop with several bags full of their uniform, tights, robes and a thick jumper Minnie had taken a liking to.

Luckily there were lots of shops that sold trunks dotted around the alley. Gwen opted to pay an extra galleon for each case for an added extension charm. They were less suit cases and more big bulky trunks anyway. But with the spell, there was twice as much room. They might have managed to put the spell on themselves- they had with the rucksack- because 'the wizards trace' didn't seem to apply to them, they could od discrete magic, but if they hadn't managed to work the spell in time, more than _half_ of their day's shopping wouldn't have fitted.

Gwen and Minnie went back to the leaky cauldron _three_ times throughout the day to drop off shopping. Every time it had been because they were literally struggling under the weight of their _many_ bags. At three o clock, after six hours of shopping they'd finally bought everything they needed and could enjoy Diagon Alley without having to worry about getting their school supplies before everywhere shopped.

To their amusement they ran into a frantic Daniel chasing Matt through the crowds, insisting they buy their school books before they go back to the

She thought then, maybe, she'd gotten off lightly having Minnie as a shopping partner- she'd never imagined having to contend with the will of Matt Dara!

"I wonder what colour ties we'll be wearing in a few days?" Gwen said out loud as she followed Minnie into a shop they hadn't been in before – Quality Quidditch Supplies. Luckily, it was quite a big shop with few people in it.

Gwen had never been a Quidditch fan, but she supposed this book shop would be the equivalent of a library to Minnie. They had games, miniatures, toys, Quidditch balls, and scarfs and T-shirts of every team in the league. But more importantly it seemed they sold brooms.

"Can I have a broom, Gwen. Please." Minnie moaned at Gwen, wide eyed. After much persuasion and some blackmail and bribery, Gwen coxed her younger friend out of the shop. They'd been drawing attention from a group of boys a few years older than Gwen and it made her fairly uncomfortable.

"I'll buy you an owl instead." Gwen promised, pulling Minnie by the hand from the shop and towards where she remembered a shop she'd seen Eeylops Owl Emporium .

Ten minutes later Gwen emerged from the shop with a large grey, tawny owl, sleeping in a cage and a very happy Minnie.

The moment Daniel found out what Gwen had done, she knew he'd flip out. But the owl was far more practical than a broom would have been, Gwen wasn't even sure if Minnie could fly that well- she might hurt herself. At least they could all get use out of the owl…although she doubted they'd ever need to send letters.

"Yuck Gwen-look." Minnie pointed to a stall wrinkling her nose in disgust. In all fairness she was probably disgusted as much by the smells as the sight. "Ew- going-now!" She grumbled turning and walking away so hastily she ended up walking face first into something very tall and solid. Before she could take a step back she was being steadied by two large warm hands.

"Woah- watch yourself." Gwen watched as Minnie looked up into the face of a handsome, boy with long black hair tumbling about his shoulder. She noticed it was one of the same boys that she'd seen in Quality Quidditch Supplies earlier, when Minnie had tried to guilt her into buying a broomstick.

"Sorry." Minnie stretched the word out, staring dumbstruck at the boy in front of her. "I was trying to get away from the brains." She waved in the general direction behind her before turning back to survey the boy. No one spoke for what felt like an afully long time and Gwen couldn't help but notice a three of the boys friends were lurking not far away watching the exchange with interest. Gwen wasn't really sure what to do. Should she take Minnie away, she _wanted to_ and even if the boy made her a bit wary she _would_ have. But Minnie might not want to leave. And it would _embarrass her_.

"That's fine. It's not every day a pretty girl stumbles head first into my life!"

"Perhaps it's your lucky day?" She smiled up at him.

"Sirius Black." The boy said sticking his hand out for Minnie to shake.

"Who?"

"Er- me?" Sirius Black said shaking the strange girl's hand, still smirking.

"Oh. That makes sense. Sorry I'm not very good at this."

"At what?"

"Speaking."

"I think you're doing pretty well so far."

"I could have done better. Here, I'll show you! Ok. Let's pretend this awkward exchange never happened- I never walked into you!" Minnie said taking a step back and sticking her out "Hi there, I'm Minerva it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you Minerva, I'm Sirius." The boy chuckled shaking her hand, sparing only a glance in the direction of Gwen.

She wouldn't be bothered if she wasn't more than a little worried about Minnie. They'd encountered lots of people through the day, but she hadn't fended off some perverted man-child, who was eyeing Minnie up like a slab of meat.

"It's a good thing I didn't run right into you, it could have been awkward." Minnie said sarcastically, smiling up at the boy. Fluttering her eyes. Was Minnie _flirting_ with this boy?

Gwen looked at him shamelessly, he obviously didn't have time for the pretty blonde's mousy friend, so she wasn't afraid of being caught gawping. He _was_ handsome, probably about Gwen's age though he looked older. He had bright brown eyes, which twinkled as though he were up to something that he shouldn't be.

"It wouldn't have been that bad. I'd have saved you" He winked.

"You're serious?" Minnie smiled at her joke. Gwen thought it was a little been there, done that but the boy seemed to like it.

"And you're Minerva." Sirius replied quickly wriggling his eyes. Gwen opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. What was going on with the world? Of all the things she'd been prepared for today this hadn't been one of them.

"GWEN." The sound of her name being bellowed by an all too familiar voice had Gwen crumbling. There was so much that Daniel could get mad about. Maybe he was mad about buying Minnie an Owl? It was only ten galleons, but none of them wanted Minnie getting spoilt! Or maybe it was because Gwen had bought a trunk with an extension charm on? Or maybe-

"GWEN!" Daniel's voice was much closer now. Ok, maybe Daniel was mad that Gwen had stood and watched as his sister flirted (shamelessly!) with a stranger. The handsome boy, Sirius Black and his friends had all turned to watch Daniel storm down the street, glancing amongst themselves nervously.

Gwen only realised upon making eye contact with Sirius Black that, her mouth was still hanging open, making her look quite gormless. She closed it and turned her back to the boys and Minnie, ready to take the brunt of Daniels anger.

"What's going on here then?!" Daniel huffed, managing to get up in Gwen's face, while pulling Minnie towards him by her wrist.

"This boy caught Minnie before she could fall over." Gwen told him, stretching the truth. Daniel didn't look any less angry.

"A simple thank you would suffice. Why was he still clinging her when I walked over? Afraid she'd fall again?" He snapped at Gwen, not Minnie.

"Perhaps you should ask him." Gwen snapped back.

"You're supposed to be looking after her. You_ promised_ to look after her. She's a child and she was your responsibility." Daniel gave Gwen a look that she'd never seen on his face before and she had the sudden urge to smack some sense into him.

"She might be a child, but she's not an _idiot._" She all but snarled.

"What if he'd hurt her." He said gesturing towards Sirius, not having noticed his friends. "And what the bloody hell is that." He said louder gesturing to the owl Gwen had bought earlier.

"It's an owl Daniel."

"Yes, I can see that! Why is it here?"

"I thought it might be nice to converse with someone with a brain for once, _Daniel_." Gwen hissed back, grimacing at her friend. Why was he such a drama queen? She knocked him aside, storming past Sirius Black and his curious friends not caring very much that he didn't follow.

She sought sanctuary in the place she'd feel most at home: the book shop. With a pocket jingling with galleons she spent an hour in there walking around the different sections, picking up books if she took a fancy to them. She was shocked when she realised just how many of the books she'd actually read over the years.

But she'd chosen three new ones, one was a history book, one was on dark creatures and the last was an adapted version of beedle and bard, children's stories she'd heard when she was much younger that she quite fancied owning. In fact she was on her way to pay, when an open box perched on a stool in the corner caught her eye. It had a single book rested on the top with the picture of a wolf on it. Gwen realised upon further inspection it was a werewolf.

Unable to resist she picked it up and read the blurb, assuming it was another tacky story about how a werewolf is plaguing a town but a brave wizard saves it and wins the heart of a beautiful girl in the process. It wasn't. According the blurb it was the story of a wizard who had been bitten by a werewolf and was struggling to survive in the wizarding which was so full of hatred and disgust for lycanthropy.

She wasn't even sure if this book was for sale yet, it clearly wasn't on the best sellers list but there was a tiny pile of them tucked away in the biography sections.

"Hairy Snout, Human Heart." She mumbled out loud. It didn't have an author, just a publication date. January, 1975 by Whizz Hard Books.

Gwen turned the book over a few times frowning something about it made her stomach clench uncomfortably. The thought of a werewolf writing this book made her want to put it back. But she _did_ want to read it. She knew how wrong it was to think like that so impulsively slipped the book on top of the other three and wandered to the counter.

"Congratulations – you're the first buyer. We've only had them a few weeks mind, paid a pittance for them, so I can't say I regret it. Interested in werewolves are you?" The man wrinkled his nose as he said the word, as though it were dirty. An expression somewhere between contempt and _

His expression was all too familiar to her. She'd seen most pure bloods pull that face if ever they encountered a muggle born. Her friends made that face when talking about the dark lord- no Voldemort's followers, whether they be dementors, death eaters, giants…or werewolves.

Did Gwen make that face when she said that word?

"_They're still humans_." Gwen said bravely to the shocked shop keeper, who shooed her out of his shop once she'd paid, as though afraid her defence of werewolves was contagious.

Gwen thought he was being a bit of a drama queen. What was it with people today? First Daniel and now the shop-keeper.

Though she still wasn't sure whether she was going to read it, Gwen was glad she'd bought it- if only to spite that prejudice shop keeper. A little part of her reminded herself that she was being a hypocrite. She'd always been afraid of werewolves because in 2087 they were dangerous, she'd never even thought of them as people before, more as…tools for the dark lord.

She walked back to the leaky cauldron pushing dark thoughts from her mind. She decided she didn't want to spend her birthday alone.

Luckily Daniel and Gwen upon sitting down for a meal that night had formed some sort of unspoken truce. Neither would mention anything. In fact neither of them spoke much until they were finishing up their food for the night.

"I've decided." Minnie said loudly, looking them all in the eye one by one "to become a vegetarian."

Gwen and Matt burst out laughing simultaneously at their little friend's dramatics, Todd rolled his eyes, looking faintly amused and Daniel sceptical. Minnie sat scowling for a while at her at the others reaction. Matt's had been the most amusing, since he'd had half a mouth full of milk dribbled down his front once he'd really started laughing.

"A vegetarian?" Daniel frowned. "You know, you get a lot of the nutrients you need through meat. I don't think that's a very good idea…what if you have brittle bones or something…"

"Lots of people are vegetarians, Dan." Gwen defended, sure he was going to go off and make one of his absurdly 'protective' and controlling decisions. Lots of people

"You could be a Pescetarian? At least then you'd-"

"No! No meat, no fish, a proper vegetarian." Minnie said firmly, ignoring her brother's objections. They'd all seen altercations like this far too many times to bother helping either sibling. Gwen had a knack for befriending stubborn people. "t was seeing all those markets today…all the brains and spleens…it was just, ugh." Minnie finished with a shudder.

Gwen had been pretty disgusted by the sight as well, but she'd thought Minnie would have forgotten about it over the afternoon.

"If you are really serious Min-"She started, an idea forming.

"I am!" Minnie threw her arms up exasperated.

"If you are really serious," Gwen repeated "then I'll do it with you, deal?"

Gwen stuck her hand out across the table, wriggling her fingers in challenge. It would be a good way to start their new year together- sort of as a September resolution.

"That's all we need- you're skin and bone already Gwen-"

"I am also an adult, Daniel." Gwen said sharply, he could boss Minnie and Todd around all he wanted, but she was her own person. "In the muggle world, I can marry, have children, boy a house…but I still can't buy cigarettes…or knives…I've always thought that was a bit weird."

"You're a bit weird." Todd nodded at her grinning in a strange way. "I'm glad we're in the same year, it'll be nice to have a running commentary through classes. The Professors will be in awe of you Gwendolyn, I guarantee it."

Gwen blushed but she wasn't exactly sure why, probably being called weird. Or the way Todd had used her Gwendolyn, because no one ever had except Dumbledore.

"We can be like- the three musketeers!" Matt agreed, making sure he'd not end up being the odd one out this year while Todd and Gwen buddied up. Though Gwen would never let that happen. They could take it in turns to share her awesome company if they had to she thought sarcastically!

The rest of the evening was spent talking of what Hogwarts would be like without death eaters in control. They all agreed it would be prefect, the best time of their lives!

Gwen didn't have a particularly hard time trying to get to sleep. All she needed was to reminded herself she had absolutely nothing to be nervous about, tomorrow would be the first day of her new life.

**A/N: HEY, to anyone who is reading this story, well I've just re-read it and it isn't flowing right, so I'm going to re-write it from Gwen and sometimes Remus POV, because that's the only way I can see it being a long term story/hobby of mine that I actually enjoy. But, I kind of didn't want to waste this chapter so, yea if you're still interested I might post it in a new story or I might re upload it here, so yep! Cool! :-)**

**ALSO THANK YOU Made-In-Denmark, because I probably would have just scrapped the story instead of giving it another go if it wasn't for your review, so just thanks :)))**


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